High-level talks between the United States and Russia on the future of Ukraine concluded on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the first step in a diplomatic process initiated by US President Donald Trump. The meeting, which took place without Ukraine or European representatives, resulted in four key agreements, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The agreed-upon principles include:
1. Reestablish diplomatic presence by reopening embassies in Washington and Moscow.
2. The US will appoint a high-level team to facilitate an end to the war in Ukraine.
3. Initiate discussions on geopolitical and economic cooperation between the US and Russia, tied to resolving the conflict.
4. A commitment from all participants to ensure the talks proceed productively.
Russian officials welcomed the discussions, with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, calling the meeting a “huge accomplishment.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the talks as “useful.” Rubio, meanwhile, emphasized the “extraordinary opportunities” for both nations should the war end, adding that Trump is “the only person who could bring this conflict to a resolution.”
However, Ukraine strongly rejected the process, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating that his country would not “give in to Russia’s ultimatums.” Before the talks, Zelenskyy had already made it clear that any agreement negotiated without Kyiv’s participation would not be recognized.
European leaders also expressed concerns. The president of the European Commission stressed that any resolution must “respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” while UK Defense Secretary John Healey warned that these negotiations could mark “a new era of threat.” China called for “all parties” to be involved in peace discussions.
