Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Sunday (March 23, 2025) for increased pressure on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to cease attacks on Ukraine, ahead of upcoming Russo-American negotiations in Saudi Arabia. ‘Whatever our talks with our partners today, we must pressure Putin to issue a real order to stop the strikes: The one who started the war must end it,’ Zelenskyy stated in a social media post. The Ukrainian delegation in talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia is being as constructive as possible, and the discussions are proving beneficial, Zelenskyy emphasized. Last night in Kyiv, tragically, three people were killed by Russian drones, including a father and his five-year-old daughter. Just a day earlier in Zaporizhzhia, an entire family—a mother, father, and their daughter—were killed in a Russian strike. ‘Our team is working absolutely constructively. The discussion is quite useful, and the work of the delegations continues,’ Zelenskyy highlighted. He reiterated that Russia alone prolongs this war. ‘On March 11, an unconditional ceasefire proposal was made, and such attacks would have already ceased. But Russia continues all these actions. And every night, every day, they carry out the most cynical attacks,’ he added. ‘Without pressure on Russia, Moscow will continue to disregard genuine diplomacy and destroy lives,’ Zelenskyy warned. Earlier today, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, head of the country’s delegation, announced that talks with the American team began in Riyadh. ‘The agenda includes proposals for protecting energy and critical infrastructure,’ he noted. On Monday, Russian officials are expected to meet with American negotiators for separate discussions. Despite accelerated efforts to bridge the positions of the warring parties regarding how to achieve a ceasefire since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, fighting continues with deadly strikes impacting both Ukraine and Russia.