Baghdad: US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steven Witkoff announced that the United States expects tangible progress in the talks with Russia regarding Ukraine to be held tomorrow in Saudi Arabia. Witkoff told Fox News: “I believe tangible progress will be achieved in Saudi Arabia on Monday, especially on the Black Sea issue, with a further ceasefire on ships between the two countries. From there, a full ceasefire will emerge.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, discussed the situation in Ukraine, conditions for de-escalation, and several international issues during a phone call on March 18. The Kremlin announced that Putin agreed to Trump’s proposal for both sides in the Ukrainian conflict to commit not to target energy infrastructure for 30 days.

Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, following a phone call with Trump, that Ukrainian authorities supported a proposal to halt attacks on energy facilities and other infrastructure with Russia. Despite the agreement and Kyiv’s pledge to abide by the ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that an oil site in the Krasnodar region in southern Russia had been attacked by three drones.