US-Russia Talks Initiate in Saudi Arabia to Address Ukraine Conflict
High-level discussions commence in Riyadh involving key diplomats as hostilities continue in Ukraine.
On Tuesday, high-level negotiations between the United States and Russia commenced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focusing on ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as reported by CNN.
Notable participants include Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, U.S. officials Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Russian representatives also include Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to President Vladimir Putin, and Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
Sergey Lavrov previously stated that the aim of these talks is to terminate the abnormal period in relations between the two major powers.
He suggested that these discussions could pave the way for a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On the eve of the talks, Russia conducted extensive drone strikes against Ukraine, with Ukrainian air force reporting that 176 Shahed drones were launched, primarily targeting energy infrastructure and air defenses.
Reports indicated that 100 drones were intercepted, while 70 went 'off-radar'.
Russia has also intensified its offensive in Donetsk, with the Ukrainian military recording 139 clashes in a single day and renewed assaults in the Kharkiv region.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, indicated that a long-term agreement regarding Ukraine would be unattainable without addressing broader security issues across Europe, although he did not provide specific details.
Notably, Peskov stated that Putin is open to negotiating with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 'if necessary', a development given that Putin had previously refused to engage with Zelenskyy, whom he has deemed as illegitimate due to the lack of elections in Ukraine amid the war.
While China is not involved in the Saudi talks, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia-kun remarked in Beijing that China welcomes 'efforts towards peace, including any consensus reached in negotiations between the U.S. and Russia', expecting all relevant parties to participate in the negotiation process.
This implies that both Ukraine and Europe should not be excluded from the peace dialogue, which is currently primarily represented by Russian and U.S. leadership and their allies, including Hungary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for genuine security guarantees from the United States.
French President Emmanuel Macron communicated on Monday that he had discussions with Trump and Zelenskyy, emphasizing that Kyiv requires strong security assurances.
In his post on X, Macron reiterated the need for a stable and lasting peace in Ukraine, stating that Russia must cease its aggression and accompany that with credible security guarantees for Ukrainians.
He warned that failure to do so could result in a ceasefire collapsing similarly to the Minsk agreements.
Zelenskyy expressed that neither he nor the Ukrainian government has knowledge of the Saudi talks and they do not wish to participate.
He reiterated his willingness to enter an agreement providing access to U.S. rare earth minerals in exchange for security guarantees.
Furthermore, he commented on current U.S. statements appearing to favor Vladimir Putin.
As European leaders convened for a mini-summit in Paris, they agreed that Ukraine can continue to rely on their support irrespective of Trump’s actions.
The discussions have underscored growing concerns regarding the integrity of the transatlantic alliance.
Notable participants include Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, U.S. officials Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Russian representatives also include Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to President Vladimir Putin, and Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
Sergey Lavrov previously stated that the aim of these talks is to terminate the abnormal period in relations between the two major powers.
He suggested that these discussions could pave the way for a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On the eve of the talks, Russia conducted extensive drone strikes against Ukraine, with Ukrainian air force reporting that 176 Shahed drones were launched, primarily targeting energy infrastructure and air defenses.
Reports indicated that 100 drones were intercepted, while 70 went 'off-radar'.
Russia has also intensified its offensive in Donetsk, with the Ukrainian military recording 139 clashes in a single day and renewed assaults in the Kharkiv region.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, indicated that a long-term agreement regarding Ukraine would be unattainable without addressing broader security issues across Europe, although he did not provide specific details.
Notably, Peskov stated that Putin is open to negotiating with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 'if necessary', a development given that Putin had previously refused to engage with Zelenskyy, whom he has deemed as illegitimate due to the lack of elections in Ukraine amid the war.
While China is not involved in the Saudi talks, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia-kun remarked in Beijing that China welcomes 'efforts towards peace, including any consensus reached in negotiations between the U.S. and Russia', expecting all relevant parties to participate in the negotiation process.
This implies that both Ukraine and Europe should not be excluded from the peace dialogue, which is currently primarily represented by Russian and U.S. leadership and their allies, including Hungary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for genuine security guarantees from the United States.
French President Emmanuel Macron communicated on Monday that he had discussions with Trump and Zelenskyy, emphasizing that Kyiv requires strong security assurances.
In his post on X, Macron reiterated the need for a stable and lasting peace in Ukraine, stating that Russia must cease its aggression and accompany that with credible security guarantees for Ukrainians.
He warned that failure to do so could result in a ceasefire collapsing similarly to the Minsk agreements.
Zelenskyy expressed that neither he nor the Ukrainian government has knowledge of the Saudi talks and they do not wish to participate.
He reiterated his willingness to enter an agreement providing access to U.S. rare earth minerals in exchange for security guarantees.
Furthermore, he commented on current U.S. statements appearing to favor Vladimir Putin.
As European leaders convened for a mini-summit in Paris, they agreed that Ukraine can continue to rely on their support irrespective of Trump’s actions.
The discussions have underscored growing concerns regarding the integrity of the transatlantic alliance.
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