American Middle East Avtee , And Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavarov attends a meeting together on February 18, 2025 at Diriah Palace in Riyadh.
Evelyn Hawkstein | AFP | Getty images
Russian and US authorities ended their first formal meeting on Tuesday after over four hours to negotiate the war in Ukraine.
The meeting between US State Secretary Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavarov began in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning and marked the first formal sit-down meeting between top US and Russian diplomats since January 2022, when the then state Antony Blinking The Secretary and Russia met Lavrov in Geneva a few weeks before attacking Ukraine.
According to Russian state media, US Environment Steve Witcoff and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz attended the talks, while Lavarov was accompanied by Kremlin’s associate Yuri Usakov.
According to the comments translated by NBC News, Ushkov told Russian state news agencies Tasses and Riya Novosti that separate teams of Russian and American negotiaters will start contacting Ukraine in the appointed time.
US State Department spokesman Tami Bruce said in a statement on Tuesday that “A phone call after a meeting is not enough to establish permanent peace. We should take action, and today we took a significant step forward.”
US President Donald Trump held a high-profile meeting after the announcement last week, that he had called Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leader agreed to start a conversation to end a three-year war in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavarov (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov (second L) arrived for a meeting between Russia and the United States, aims to improve relations between the two countries and to improve the relationship between the two countries and Ukraine in Riyadh I had to address the struggle. Saudi Arabia on 18 February 2025.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty images
Both sides had played the possible results of this first meeting; State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce told reporters on Monday that Riyadh’s meeting was “designed to determine if Russia is probably serious, and if they were on the same page.”
Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov said on Monday that the meeting was to restore bilateral relations and discuss “preparations for potential Ukraine peace talks”.
On Tuesday, the spokesperson said that Putin Ukraine’s President Volodimier was ready to talk to Zelanski, if necessary, “But said” said “the reality of agreements needs to be considered on the legal basis that the validity of the Zelanceci should be questioned. Can ,
Russia has reduced Zelansky’s validity due to martial law due to stopping new elections in the country, but Kiev says it is impractical to keep a ballot during the war.
US State Secretary Marco Antonio Rubio (L) meets Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (R) on 17 February 2025 in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty images
Kiril Dimitriv, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, was also a part of the Russian delegation in Riyadh, indicating that Moscow was eager to emphasize the economic benefits of restoring relationships.
Talking to Russian media outlets in the early hours of Tuesday, Dmitriev estimated that “American businesses lost about $ 300 billion from leaving Russia” and said that “whatever is happening right now had a huge economic toll over many countries with what is happening right now. , And we believe that through the solution is the way forward, through the solution, “he said, according to A. News agency Interfax Report.
Ukraine and Europe frozen out
Ukraine officials were not present in the talks in Riyadh and European allies are also out of discussions for now.
Kiev’s leadership has said that he would not agree to any peace agreement that goes against its interests, while European leaders warned at the Munich Security Conference in the last weekend that any compromise done without its participation Will not do
European leaders held one emergency meeting On Monday, in Paris, where they agreed to increase the need to increase defense spending rapidly, but could not agree whether to send peace to soldiers to the soldiers in Ukraine as part of the after -war plan. .
Britain has said that it is ready to send a peace army to Ukraine, but said that America will need to provide a “backstop” to support the deployment, while Denmark and France have considering sending troops to the country. Indicated the desire of.
British Prime Minister Keer Stmper during a meeting on security issues in Europe at Elisy Palace on 17 February 2025 in Paris.
Tom Nicholson | Getty images
Other nations including some of Ukraine’s largest Backers, Poland and Germany are careful. German Chancellor Olaf Sholaz was openly critical of this idea, calling it “completely prematurely” and “highly inappropriate”, while the leaders of Italy, Spain and Norway appeared more condemned about the idea.
To stay close to President Trump, Britain’s Prime Minister Kir Stmper is due to meeting the President next week, while French President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke to Trump and Zelancesi after the emergency summit.
“We want a strong and permanent peace in Ukraine. To achieve this, Russia must eliminate its aggression, and it must be with a strong and reliable security guarantee for Ukrainians. Otherwise, there is a risk that it struggles. Will end like a break. Macron said on social media platform X.
