Ukraine: US and Russia's top diplomats discuss 'next steps'

• US-Russia apical diplomats Rubio and Lavrov, sermon 'next steps' connected Ukraine
• Trump limits Kellogg's relation arsenic peculiar envoy to Ukraine
• Military gathering acceptable for adjacent week to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia 
• Both Ukraine and Russia study overnight aerial strikes

Here are the large developments concerning Russia's warfare successful Ukraine connected Sunday, March 16:

03/16/2025March 16, 2025

Trump narrows responsibilities of peculiar envoy Kellogg to Ukraine

After reported complaints from Russia, US President Donald Trump has narrowed the relation of Keith Kellogg, who volition present service solely arsenic his peculiar envoy connected Ukraine.

Kellogg has antecedently been described arsenic a peculiar envoy for Ukraine and Russia.

"I americium pleased to pass you that General Keith Kellogg has been appointed Special Envoy to Ukraine," Trump wrote connected his Truth Social
platform. 

A erstwhile nationalist information advisor during Trump's archetypal term, Kellogg was excluded from caller talks successful Saudi Arabia connected ending the war.

He was besides not progressive successful the talks with Russia that followed, with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff visiting Moscow alternatively to sermon a imaginable ceasefire.

US broadcaster NBC, citing a elder Russian official, reported that the Kremlin had enactment unit connected Trump due to the fact that President Vladimir Putin considered Kellogg pro-Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report, telling reporters connected Friday Moscow has nary volition of interfering.

03/16/2025March 16, 2025

Rubio and Lavrov sermon 'next steps' connected Ukraine

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke connected Saturday astir ending the war successful Ukraine.

The US State Department said the apical diplomats "discussed adjacent steps" aft the 2 countries' meetings successful Saudi Arabia and "agreed to proceed moving towards restoring connection betwixt the United States and Russia."

Despite caller tensions betwixt US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv has agreed to a US-brokered 30-day ceasefire if Moscow halts its attacks, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has acceptable conditions beyond the US-Ukraine agreement.

The State Department gave nary details connected erstwhile the adjacent circular of US-Russia talks would begin.

Rubio besides updated Lavrov connected subject enactment successful the Middle East, wherever US forces carried retired strikes against Houthi rebels Yemen.

03/16/2025March 16, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Welcome to our coverage, let's bring you up to speed:

Showing signs of warming ties betwixt the United States and Russia, their apical envoys sermon the "next steps" to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine.

The telephone betwixt US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov comes hours aft Ukraine's allies agreed to exert unit connected Moscow.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a virtual gathering of the "coalition of the willing," which progressive leaders of 26 nations and the EU and NATO to sermon ending the warfare successful Ukraine.

They focused connected ways to fortify Ukraine, support immoderate ceasefire, and support up the unit connected Moscow.

Military leaders from astir 30 countries met successful Paris connected March 11 to sermon plans for a peacekeeping unit successful Ukraine, and they volition conscionable again connected Thursday successful Britain.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for unified enactment to guarantee Russia accepts the projected ceasefire.

Kyiv has agreed to a US-brokered 30-day unconditional ceasefire if Moscow stops its attacks successful eastbound Ukraine. 

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not accepted the truce and has projected conditions that spell beyond the US agreement.