US-Russia talks begin in Saudi Arabia to end Ukraine war
New Delhi, Feb 18: The United States and Russia are convening a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. This marks the first direct dialogue between the two nations since the Russia-Ukraine conflict that began three years ago. In the meeting, neither Ukraine nor any European countries have been invited to participate in these discussions, BBC and other international media reported.
The U.S. delegation is led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in January 2025. Rubio, a seasoned politician and diplomat, has been actively engaging in West Asia affairs, including recent meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Russian side is represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, both of whom are veteran diplomats instrumental in shaping Russia's foreign policy.
The U.S. calls these talks a preliminary measure to assess Russia's commitment to ending the conflict in Ukraine. Conversely, Russia has stated that the primary objective is to restore and normalise bilateral relations with the United States. These discussions may pave the way for a future summit between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia.
Ukraine and Europe Left Out
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed strong objections to any agreements reached without Ukraine's involvement, stating that his country will not recognize such outcomes. European leaders have also voiced their dissatisfaction with being excluded from these negotiations. In an emergency summit, yesterday, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated a willingness to consider deploying British troops to Ukraine contingent upon a lasting peace agreement, though this stance is not universally shared among European nations.
On the ground, Russian forces continue their offensive in the eastern Donbas region, recently capturing the town of Kurakhove and advancing toward the city of Pokrovsk. Despite these gains, Ukrainian forces are inflicting significant losses on Russian troops, effectively slowing their progress.
Earlier this month, BBC reported President Zelensky proposed a potential territorial exchange, suggesting that Ukraine might consider ceding certain areas seized in recent months in Russia's Kursk border region in return for territories occupied by Russian-backed forces since 2014 in Donetsk and Luhansk. This proposal underscores the complex and contentious nature of territorial negotiations in the ongoing conflict.
