The United States and Russia agreed in Riyadh on Tuesday to work towards ending the war in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official. Reuters reported that both countries will create high-level teams to find a lasting and fair solution to the conflict.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed this development, highlighting that the goal is a peace deal that works for all sides.
Russian negotiator Yuri Ushakov described the talks, which lasted over four hours, as serious and productive. However, Ukraine and European leaders are worried that U.S. President Donald Trump might rush into a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that could harm Ukraine’s security.
Reuters pointed out that Ukraine fears a deal might reward Russia for invading and give Putin room to threaten Ukraine or other countries in the future.
During the meeting, Russia made a new demand, Reuters noted. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it is not enough for NATO to refuse Ukraine’s membership. She insisted that NATO must officially take back a 2008 promise that Ukraine could join in the future. She warned that if NATO does not do this, tensions in Europe will continue.
The meeting took place at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, attended by key officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Saudi officials.
Reuters highlighted that Saudi Arabia, which has good relations with both the U.S. and Russia, played a key role in hosting the discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has always pushed for NATO membership, believing it is the only way to protect Ukraine from Russia.
According to Reuters, U.S. spokesperson Bruce said Trump is determined to stop the fighting and is using his influence to bring peace. She claimed Trump is the only leader capable of getting both Ukraine and Russia to agree.
Reuters also reported that U.S. and Russian officials agreed to improve their troubled relations, which the Kremlin said had hit rock bottom during Joe Biden’s presidency. Ushakov, the Russian negotiator, mentioned that talks about a possible Trump-Putin meeting took place, though it is unlikely to happen soon.
These peace talks in Saudi Arabia show how fast the U.S. is moving to resolve the war, Reuters noted. Just weeks after taking office, Trump has already spoken to Putin and started negotiations.
However, critics say Trump is giving away too much too soon by ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and dismissing Ukraine’s goal of regaining lost land. U.S. officials, however, told Reuters they are simply accepting the reality of the situation.
Despite these negotiations, Ukraine insists that no peace deal can be made without its direct involvement.
Reuters quoted Zelenskiy, who made it clear last week that Ukraine, as a sovereign nation, cannot accept any agreement made on its behalf.
Credit : Reuters