US and Russia Hold High-Stakes Talks on Ukraine War, Excluding Kyiv

Top US and Russian officials have convened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for their most significant diplomatic engagement since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are leading their respective delegations in discussions aimed at improving bilateral relations and potentially negotiating an end to the Ukraine conflict. The talks, initiated following a recent phone call between Presidents Trump and Putin, have sparked concern among European allies and Ukraine, who were not invited to participate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Kyiv will not accept any agreements made without its involvement. The meeting underscores a shift in US foreign policy towards Russia under the Trump administration.

 

Source: The Washington Post