Senior officials from the United States and Russia met today, Tuesday, February 18, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss bilateral relations and potential pathways to ending the war in Ukraine.
The absence of Ukrainian representatives from the negotiations sparked a strong reaction from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who reiterated that his country would not accept any agreement reached without its direct participation.
The U.S. delegation at the meeting was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy for West Asia Steve Whitkoff. On the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor, were present. The meeting comes amid speculation about a potential future summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Simultaneously, European leaders gathered in Paris to discuss their role in peace negotiations and increasing defense budgets. They emphasized the necessity of including Ukraine and the European Union in any future agreements.
These developments signal a shift in the U.S. approach to the Ukraine war, raising concerns among Ukrainian officials and European allies about Washington’s evolving strategy.
