The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet, establishing the groundwork for a significant advancement.
Delegations from the U.S. and Russia are gathering in Riyadh to explore a possible resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously expressed that Kyiv would not endorse any negotiations lacking Ukrainian participation. The question remains: can those in need afford to be selective?
On Tuesday, senior officials from the United States and Russia convened at the Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss their bilateral relations and the potential for resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
The U.S. delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with Kremlin foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov also present.
Saudi officials, including Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Musaed al Alban, participated in the initial phase of the discussions before departing.
The talks were held without delegates from Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier expressed that Kyiv would not endorse any outcomes from the discussions that excluded Ukrainian representatives.
Russian officials confirmed that the nature of the discussions was strictly bilateral.
This meeting signifies heightened high-level interactions between the United States and Russia nearly three years into the Ukraine conflict, a period during which their bilateral relations greatly declined.
Past exchanges include a brief interaction between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a G-20 event in India almost two years ago, as well as discussions between U.S. and Russian intelligence officials in Turkey in the autumn of 2022.
In separate statements, Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, highlighted the significance of strong U.S.-Russia ties in tackling global challenges.
International reactions to the recent discussions have prompted European leaders to call for increased inclusion of Ukrainian viewpoints, leading France to arrange an emergency meeting of European Union member states and the United Kingdom.
French President Emmanuel Macron has reiterated the urgency of ending hostilities and providing security assurances for Ukraine.
The Riyadh meeting follows a series of diplomatic efforts and reflects ongoing endeavors by U.S. and Russian officials to explore avenues for resolving the conflict.
All developments are being closely monitored by international stakeholders.
The U.S. delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with Kremlin foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov also present.
Saudi officials, including Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Musaed al Alban, participated in the initial phase of the discussions before departing.
The talks were held without delegates from Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier expressed that Kyiv would not endorse any outcomes from the discussions that excluded Ukrainian representatives.
Russian officials confirmed that the nature of the discussions was strictly bilateral.
This meeting signifies heightened high-level interactions between the United States and Russia nearly three years into the Ukraine conflict, a period during which their bilateral relations greatly declined.
Past exchanges include a brief interaction between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a G-20 event in India almost two years ago, as well as discussions between U.S. and Russian intelligence officials in Turkey in the autumn of 2022.
In separate statements, Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, highlighted the significance of strong U.S.-Russia ties in tackling global challenges.
International reactions to the recent discussions have prompted European leaders to call for increased inclusion of Ukrainian viewpoints, leading France to arrange an emergency meeting of European Union member states and the United Kingdom.
French President Emmanuel Macron has reiterated the urgency of ending hostilities and providing security assurances for Ukraine.
The Riyadh meeting follows a series of diplomatic efforts and reflects ongoing endeavors by U.S. and Russian officials to explore avenues for resolving the conflict.
All developments are being closely monitored by international stakeholders.
Translation:
Translated by AI
