The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advancement.
Delegations from the U.S. and Russia convene in Riyadh to explore a possible resolution to the Ukraine conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously emphasized that Kyiv would not endorse any negotiations that exclude Ukrainian representatives. The lingering 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, who was accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
Heading the Russian delegation was Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, along with Kremlin foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov.
Saudi officials, including Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Musaed al Alban, participated in the initial phase of the discussions before leaving.
The talks were conducted without representatives from Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously indicated that Kyiv would not endorse any outcomes from the discussions that excluded Ukrainian officials.
Russian officials confirmed that the negotiations would strictly be bilateral.
This meeting highlights a rise in high-level interactions between the United States and Russia nearly three years into the Ukraine conflict, during which their bilateral relations have notably worsened.
Past interactions included a brief dialogue between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a G-20 meeting in India nearly two years ago, as well as a meeting between U.S. and Russian intelligence officials in Turkey in the fall of 2022.
In separate comments, Kirill Dmitriev, chief of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, underscored the necessity of strong U.S.-Russia relations for tackling global issues.
International reactions to the recent discussions have included requests from European leaders for better integration of Ukrainian viewpoints, leading France to organize an emergency meeting with European Union member states and the United Kingdom.
French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed the importance of ending hostilities and providing security assurances for Ukraine.
The Riyadh meeting follows a series of diplomatic efforts and mirrors ongoing initiatives by U.S. and Russian officials to seek potential solutions to the conflict.
All developments are being closely watched by international stakeholders.
The U.S. delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
Heading the Russian delegation was Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, along with Kremlin foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov.
Saudi officials, including Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Musaed al Alban, participated in the initial phase of the discussions before leaving.
The talks were conducted without representatives from Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously indicated that Kyiv would not endorse any outcomes from the discussions that excluded Ukrainian officials.
Russian officials confirmed that the negotiations would strictly be bilateral.
This meeting highlights a rise in high-level interactions between the United States and Russia nearly three years into the Ukraine conflict, during which their bilateral relations have notably worsened.
Past interactions included a brief dialogue between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a G-20 meeting in India nearly two years ago, as well as a meeting between U.S. and Russian intelligence officials in Turkey in the fall of 2022.
In separate comments, Kirill Dmitriev, chief of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, underscored the necessity of strong U.S.-Russia relations for tackling global issues.
International reactions to the recent discussions have included requests from European leaders for better integration of Ukrainian viewpoints, leading France to organize an emergency meeting with European Union member states and the United Kingdom.
French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed the importance of ending hostilities and providing security assurances for Ukraine.
The Riyadh meeting follows a series of diplomatic efforts and mirrors ongoing initiatives by U.S. and Russian officials to seek potential solutions to the conflict.
All developments are being closely watched by international stakeholders.
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