Trump and Putin Hold Talks Without Ukraine, Raising Global Concerns
Nearly three years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, and at that time, U.S. President Joe Biden strongly supported Ukraine, united European allies, and worked to isolate Russia through economic and diplomatic means. However, Reuters reports that things have changed dramatically under President Donald Trump, who recently restarted talks with Russia.
Trump’s First Meeting with Russia
Reuters confirms that on Tuesday, U.S. and Russian officials met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the first high-level discussion between both countries since the start of the war. However, Ukraine and NATO allies were left out of the meeting, which raised major concerns. Trump’s team, which lacks experience in international diplomacy, sat across from Russian officials who have been negotiating at this level for decades. Many fear this could give Putin the upper hand.
According to Reuters, Trump has already made big concessions to Russia before the talks even began. Last week, he said Ukraine should forget about joining NATO and accept that it cannot win back the 20% of its land currently controlled by Russia. European leaders see this as a dangerous move that could weaken Ukraine and shift global power in Putin’s favor.
Why This Meeting Is Different
Under Biden, the U.S. had a policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” This meant any decision about Ukraine’s future had to include Ukraine’s leaders. Reuters reports that Trump has ignored this rule, choosing to meet with Russia without consulting Ukraine or its European allies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was so unhappy that he canceled a planned trip to Saudi Arabia to avoid looking like he supported the meeting.
European leaders are now discussing whether they should send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. Trump said he would not oppose the idea, but Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, immediately rejected it. Reuters notes that Moscow will likely resist any agreement that allows NATO forces near Russian-occupied land.
Trump’s Team Lacks Experience
The American delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff—all of whom are new to international negotiations. In contrast, Russia’s team was led by Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, who have a combined experience of 34 years in handling global affairs.
Timothy Snyder, a Russia expert at Yale University, told Reuters that the Russian negotiators have far more expertise, making it an unfair match against Trump’s team. Former U.S. diplomat Brett Bruen called it “amateur hour” for Trump’s administration, worrying that Russia will take advantage of their inexperience.
Concerns Over Trump’s Approach
Trump has praised Putin several times and said after the meeting that he is confident about reaching a deal. However, Reuters highlights that Ukraine and NATO leaders are worried about how much Trump is willing to give away. Some of Trump’s critics even accuse him of trying to extort Ukraine after reports surfaced that the U.S. wants to take 50% of Ukraine’s mineral resources in exchange for military aid.
Meanwhile, Republican Senator Roger Wicker told CNN that Putin is a war criminal who cannot be trusted in peace talks. Lithuania’s security chief Darius Jauniškis told Reuters that Putin will not stop at Ukraine and may try to take more European land in the future.
What’s Next?
Reuters reports that Trump and Putin may meet again before the end of the month, but there is still no clear answer on how Ukraine will be included in future negotiations. The fear is that Trump may normalize relations with Russia without getting anything in return. Some U.S. officials say Trump is rushing into a peace deal that could hurt Ukraine and Europe in the long run.
For now, the world is watching closely to see if Trump’s approach will lead to a fair resolution—or if it will give Putin more power while weakening Ukraine’s position.
As Reuters highlights, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
https://www.reuters.com/world/major-risks-loom-trump-upends-us-russia-policy-2025-02-19