BBC News Interrupted by ‘Breaking News’ as Russia Issues Chilling Message After Trump Talks

BBC News was suddenly interrupted on Tuesday morning (March 25) as presenter Kasia Madera broke in with a major update coming straight from Moscow, just days after a high-level conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. The breaking news came following US-Russia discussions held in Saudi Arabia, focused on potentially agreeing to a ceasefire in the Black Sea.

Kasia reported: “Russia’s Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the US and Russia are analysing the outcome of their talks between officials in Saudi Arabia. And they say that the two countries say that the talks, which were in Riyadh, focused on a proposal for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea.”

She clarified that the announcement was strictly limited to that region, saying it didn’t include any plans for land-based or aerial combat pauses. She added that there’s no scheduled follow-up conversation between Putin and Trump but hinted it could be arranged if needed, reported the Express.

“When the two leaders spoke last week, President Putin declined a proposal by Donald Trump for a full 30-day ceasefire but agreed to a moratorium on attacking energy infrastructure,” she quoted from the Kremlin.

Monday’s talks in Riyadh reportedly honed in on those exact technicalities — a limited truce to stop strikes on vital infrastructure. While the US pushed to expand the ceasefire to cover safe navigation through the Black Sea, Moscow wasn’t biting. Instead, Russian forces appear to be pressing their advantage before any formal agreement comes into play. On the same day as the talks, Russia unleashed drone attacks on Ukraine.

The fallout was immediate and grim. Ukrainian authorities reported a missile strike in the north-eastern city of Sumy that hit a school and hospital, injuring at least 74 people, including 13 children.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, didn’t mince his words. “Moscow speaks of peace while carrying out brutal attacks on densely populated residential areas in major Ukrainian cities,” he said. “Instead of making hollow statements about peace, Russia must stop bombing our cities and end its war on civilians.”

It all comes as Russia once again raises demands related to the Black Sea grain deal, which was abandoned in 2023. Back then, the Kremlin insisted the West was blocking its agricultural exports — despite them not being under formal sanctions. Since then, Ukraine has managed to keep exporting grain, carefully navigating through coastal routes to avoid Russian strikes.

While talks continue behind closed doors, the contrast between the Kremlin’s messaging and what’s actually happening on the ground is leaving many deeply sceptical.