Negotiations for lasting peace in Ukraine only possible after full ceasefire — U.S. State Department

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated this, according to Ukrinform.

“Only after a ceasefire—a full ceasefire—as the President and, of course, the Secretary of State have noted, will we be able to discuss the differences and what happens next when it comes to lasting peace,” she told reporters.

At the same time, Bruce did not answer whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted. She said the main focus is on the outcome of the negotiations.

“It’s about reaching a final point that the world and all of us can agree on… It’s not about trust or who you’re dealing with, or whether you like them or not, it’s about what the result will be in the end,” the official concluded.

• On March 24, a meeting between U.S. and Russian delegations began in Saudi Arabia. The goal of the talks is to achieve a maritime truce in the Black Sea. The meeting also addressed potential lines of demarcation in Ukraine.