Russia and the United States agreed to appoint high-level teams to negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine and are working to reestablish diplomatic channels. However, the talks held in Saudi Arabia drew a strong rebuke from Kyiv over its exclusion.
The most extensive negotiations between the two countries in three years reflected an extraordinary shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
After the talks at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said agreement had been made to create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks and to explore “opportunities which will emerge from a successful end to the conflict in Ukraine”.
Rubio said Tuesday that ending the war in Ukraine could “unlock the door” for “incredible opportunities” to partner with the Russians on issues of common interest “that hopefully will be good for the world and also improve our relations in the long term.”
The U.S. delegation, headed by Rubio, also included U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. They were joined by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov.
Russia’s Lavrov called the meeting “very useful.” Lavrov told reporters: “We did not just listen but heard each other, and I have reason to believe the American side has better understood our position,” Lavrov told reporters.
The meeting marked the first time top-level U.S. and Russian officials met face to face since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, representing a complete reversal of the Biden administration’s policy.
Zelenskyy demands Ukraine’s inclusion in peace talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated his demand for Ukraine to be included in any discussions aimed at ending the ongoing war with Russia, following talks between United States and Russian officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Zelenskyy emphasized that no decisions regarding the conflict should be made without Ukraine’s involvement, underlining the importance of Kyiv’s participation in peace talks.
“We want no one to decide anything behind our backs … No decision can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told reporters during a visit to Turkiye, where he held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Zelenskyy also announced the cancellation of his scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia to avoid what he described as “coincidences” following the US-Russia meeting in Riyadh. He stressed that any peace negotiations should not occur “behind the backs” of the involved parties.
“We are completely honest and open. That’s why I don’t want any ‘coincidences,’ which is why I won’t go to Saudi Arabia,” Zelenskyy said during a joint press conference. “The Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia was a surprise to us, as it was to many others. While we saw media coverage, I don’t know who will stay, leave, or where anyone is going. Frankly, I don’t really care. What matters is that our partners consider our position.”
Trump criticizes Zelenskyy
Following the meeting, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has said he will not accept any deal that is made in Ukraine’s absence.
“I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it’s going well. But today I heard, ‘Oh well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you been there for three years. You should’ve ended it after three years. You should’ve never started it. You could’ve made a deal,” Trump told reporters in Mar-a-Lago about Ukraine.
Trump repeatedly said that Ukraine’s leaders never should have allowed the war to begin, suggesting the country should have been willing to make concessions to Russia before the 2022 invasion.
European leaders left scrambling as US holds direct talks with Russia on Ukraine
The recent U.S. diplomatic push on the war has left Ukraine and its key allies scrambling to secure a seat at the table, amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could reach an unfavorable deal without their input.
Ukraine’s absence from Tuesday’s talks sparked frustration, particularly in Kyiv, while France called an emergency meeting of EU countries in Paris to discuss the situation. Kyiv’s participation in such talks had been a core element of U.S. policy under Biden.
Rubio said that there would be “engagement and consultation with Ukraine, with our partners in Europe and others. But ultimately, the Russian side will be indispensable to this effort.” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with President Trump and Zelenskyy after the European meeting. “We seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Macron wrote on social media platform X. “To achieve this, Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians,” he said and vowed to “work on this together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians.”