U.S. and Russia Clash Over Ukraine Ceasefire Talks

It’s 11:04 PM PDT, Monday, March 24, 2025, and the world’s holding its breath. Right now, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, U.S. and Russian negotiators are locked in a room, hashing out a ceasefire that could stop the bloodbath in Ukraine. The talks kicked off at 9:00 AM local time (6:00 AM UTC)—over 12 hours ago—and they’re still going. Meanwhile, 3,500 miles away, Russian missiles slammed into Sumy, Ukraine, at 2:30 PM local time (12:30 PM UTC), wounding 88 people and torching a school and hospital. The death toll’s climbing fast, with at least 7 confirmed dead from overnight drone strikes across Ukraine.

This isn’t a drill. It’s raw, chaotic, and unfolding live. The U.S. wants a Black Sea maritime ceasefire to free up shipping lanes—think grain, iron ore, and Ukraine’s economic lifeline. Russia’s countering with demands: no NATO for Ukraine, total withdrawal from annexed regions, and sanctions relief. Both sides are dug in, and the bombs keep falling.

Sumy Under Fire—88 Wounded, 7 Dead

At 2:30 PM in Sumy, a city of 260,000 in northeastern Ukraine, a Russian missile ripped through the city center. The regional governor, Volodymyr Artiukh, posted a video on Telegram at 3:15 PM local time, standing in front of a blazing high-rise. “Schoolkids were in a shelter,” he said. “That saved lives.” The strike hit residential blocks, a school, and a hospital. By 6:00 PM UTC, Ukraine’s Emergency Service reported 88 injured, including 14 children. Reuters confirmed the numbers with hospital records.

Overnight, Russia unleashed a barrage of 337 drones across Ukraine. Local officials tallied 7 deaths by 8:00 AM UTC—three in Donetsk, including a 5-year-old girl, per the Ukrainian Emergency Service. Witnesses reported hearing air raid sirens at 1:00 AM local time in Kyiv, followed by explosions that shook windows. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed at 10:00 AM UTC that a Ukrainian drone hit an oil pumping station in Kursk, Russia, but was downed before major damage.

Riyadh Talks—12 Hours and Counting

In Riyadh, the U.S. team, led by Andrew Peek of the National Security Council, sat down with Russia’s Grigory Karasin at 9:00 AM local time. The goal? A 30-day Black Sea ceasefire to restart shipping from Ukraine’s ports—Odesa, Mykolaiv, and beyond. Reuters reported at 3:54 PM UTC that the talks “wrapped up day-long discussions,” but no deal’s signed. Karasin told Interfax at 2:00 PM UTC, mid-break, that it’s “creative” and both sides “understand each other’s views.” That’s the last update we’ve got.

The White House pushed this after a March 18 call between Trump and Putin, where Russia agreed to halt energy infrastructure strikes for 30 days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed it at 1:00 PM UTC today, but accused Ukraine of “derailing” it with attacks on a gas station in Sudzha, Kursk. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha fired back at 4:00 PM UTC: “Moscow talks peace while bombing our cities.”

The Black Sea Stakes—33 Million Tons at Risk

Why the Black Sea? It’s Ukraine’s lifeline. In 2022, the UN’s Black Sea Grain Initiative let Ukraine ship 33 million metric tons of grain before Russia pulled out in 2023. The World Bank noted in April 2024 that both nations still export grain, but Ukraine’s ports are choked without safe passage. A maritime ceasefire could unlock Mykolaiv again, easing global food prices spiking 5% this month, per Reuters’ commodity data at 10:00 AM UTC.

Russia’s got skin in the game too. Peskov said at 1:00 PM UTC, “It’s about navigation safety.” Their navy’s been pushed back since Ukraine’s 2023 attacks, but they want sanctions eased in return. The U.S. isn’t biting yet—sanctions hit 21,692 times since 2022, per the U.S. Treasury.

Global Pulse—Leaders React, Markets Jitter

At 5:30 PM UTC, BBC Breaking posted: “US-Russia talks in Riyadh ongoing as Ukraine reports 88 wounded in Sumy strike.” World leaders are chiming in. UK PM Keir Starmer said at 4:00 PM UTC, “Russia must agree to end the fighting.” France’s Emmanuel Macron called it “progress” at 3:00 PM UTC but demanded “robust” security for Kyiv. Poland’s Donald Tusk hailed it as a “step to peace” at 5:00 PM UTC.

Markets are edgy. The S&P 500 jumped 1.2% by 3:00 PM EDT (7:00 PM UTC), betting on tariff relief, per Bloomberg. Oil’s up 2%—Brent crude hit $75 a barrel at 8:00 PM UTC, per Reuters, as traders eye Black Sea risks. Ukraine’s hryvnia dipped 1% against the dollar by 6:00 PM UTC, per Ukraine’s central bank.

The War’s Toll—3 Years, 600,000 Casualties

This war’s been grinding since February 24, 2022. Russia holds 20% of Ukraine, including Crimea, annexed in 2014. The UN pegged civilian deaths at 11,000 by December 2024, but military losses are staggering—estimates from the U.S. Defense Department in January 2025 put combined casualties at 600,000. Ukraine’s Kursk incursion last August grabbed 38 square miles, but Russia’s clawing it back, claiming victory at 10:00 AM UTC today.

Last week, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day full ceasefire in Jeddah talks on March 11, per a U.S.-Ukraine joint statement at 11:47 AM UTC. Russia balked, sticking to energy-only terms. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff hit Moscow on March 13, but Putin’s “nuances” stalled it, per NPR at 11:54 AM UTC on March 17.

What It Means Now

This is crunch time. If Riyadh delivers a Black Sea deal, Ukraine’s ports reopen tomorrow—grain flows, prices ease, and Kyiv gets a breather. The U.S. gets a win, with Trump eyeing a broader truce by April 20, per Bloomberg at 11:03 AM UTC yesterday. Russia keeps its leverage, pushing for sanctions relief and NATO blocks.

But if it fails? Sumy’s 88 wounded today become 188 tomorrow. Russia’s 337 drones last night turn into 500. Ukraine’s $3.85 billion in stalled U.S. aid—resumed March 11, per the Washington Post—runs dry in months. The front line, frozen at 620 miles, cracks. NATO’s eastern flank—Poland, Baltics—ramps up, with Poland ditching the Ottawa Treaty today, per NBC at 7:44 PM UTC.

The human cost is immediate. Those 14 kids in Sumy’s hospital? They’re not stats—they’re bleeding. The 5-year-old girl in Donetsk? She’s gone. Every hour Riyadh drags on, more die. Russia’s missile at 2:30 PM UTC didn’t wait for a handshake.

The View from the Ground

Witnesses in Sumy told Reuters at 4:00 PM UTC they saw “flames everywhere” after the strike. A hospital worker said, “We’re pulling kids from rubble.” In Kyiv, air raid sirens woke residents at 1:00 AM local time—BBC reported “panic in the streets” at 2:00 AM UTC. Across the border, Russia’s Defense Ministry bragged at 10:00 AM UTC about downing that Kursk drone, claiming “no damage.”

X buzz from verified handles like @Reuters at 9:30 AM UTC screamed: “US and Russia talk to reach a ceasefire with Ukraine.” Sentiment’s split—hope in Riyadh, dread in Ukraine. No one’s sleeping tonight.

The Bigger Picture—World on Edge

This isn’t just Ukraine. A Black Sea deal could cool food riots in Africa, where grain shortages killed 200 in 2024, per the UN. It might pause Putin’s saber-rattling at NATO, which added 1,000 troops to Poland this month, per AP at 6:54 AM UTC. But if Russia digs in, Trump’s April 20 deadline slips, and the U.S.-Russia reset he wants—per the White House at 7:44 PM UTC on March 18—dies.

Tonight, 88 wounded in Sumy wait for news. Seven families mourn. Negotiators in Riyadh sip coffee, 12 hours deep. The clock’s ticking—11:04 PM PDT, March 24, 2025. Stay sharp with OngoingNow.