The United States and Russia held high-level discussions in Saudi Arabia to explore a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The talks, led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, took place at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh. Despite the gravity of the meeting, Ukraine was notably absent, raising concerns in Kyiv and across Europe about the direction of these negotiations.
Ukraine has repeatedly stated that any agreements impacting its sovereignty should not be made without its direct involvement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made it clear that his country would not recognize any decisions made without its participation. In a firm response to the talks, he emphasized that Ukraine had been fighting this war for nearly three years and that no external negotiations should determine its future.
The meeting marked one of the most extensive direct engagements between the US and Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It also signified a shift in Washington’s diplomatic approach under President Donald Trump, who initiated the dialogue with a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin just days before the talks began. While no formal agreement was reached, both sides agreed to establish working groups to discuss potential security frameworks and steps toward de-escalation.
A key topic of discussion was Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, which has long been a contentious issue between the West and Moscow. Russia reiterated its firm stance that Ukraine should never join the alliance, claiming that NATO’s expansion near its borders poses a direct security threat. The US, under the Trump administration, indicated a willingness to reconsider its previous support for Ukraine’s future NATO membership, a stance that has unsettled European allies.
European leaders expressed frustration over the US-led discussions with Russia, particularly since they were excluded from the negotiations. French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with European Union officials to assess the implications of the Riyadh talks. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized the decision to move forward without Ukraine or key European stakeholders, calling it an approach that disregards established diplomatic norms.
The diplomatic outreach between Washington and Moscow has sparked a variety of reactions. Some view it as a pragmatic attempt to end a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and strained global economies. Others fear that any agreement reached without Ukraine’s input could set a precedent for disregarding national sovereignty in future conflicts.
Meanwhile, the war continues. Ukrainian forces reported heavy Russian drone strikes targeting infrastructure and civilian areas overnight. Kyiv remains firm in its position that any ceasefire or peace agreement must include concrete security guarantees to prevent future aggression.
Although no immediate breakthroughs emerged from the meeting in Saudi Arabia, the talks signal a shift in US-Russia relations and the broader geopolitical landscape surrounding the war in Ukraine. The coming weeks will determine whether these negotiations will lead to a genuine path toward peace or deepen existing divides.
USA = Green
Russia = Red
Saudi Arabia = Yellow
Ukraine = Blue
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