International Representative: On Tuesday, February 20, top diplomats from the United States and Russia will meet in Saudi Arabia. This meeting could pave the way for restoring the fragile relations between the two countries and finding a path to end the war in Ukraine.
Notably, Kyiv has stated that it has not been invited to the discussions in Riyadh. Additionally, European leaders were shocked by Washington’s sudden shift in its stance towards Moscow, leading them to hold an emergency security summit in Paris.
This will be the first meeting of senior representatives from both countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The agenda of the meeting also includes preparations for a possible summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Purpose of the Meeting
Trump seeks a swift resolution to this three-year-long conflict, while Moscow is looking for a chance to address its long-standing grievances regarding Washington’s military presence in Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Kyiv “knows nothing about these talks” and that “no decision or agreement regarding us is acceptable without us.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and senior Putin associate Yuri Ushakov will participate in the meeting, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will represent the United States.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the discussions would primarily focus on “restoring Russia-US relations” and “potential compromises on Ukraine and organizing a meeting between the two presidents.”
Ukraine’s Position
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky has announced that he will visit Turkey, where he will discuss the war situation with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. However, he has no plans to meet with US or Russian representatives.
Russia’s Strategy
Moscow has stated that it does not see the need for European countries to be present at the talks about Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said at a press conference, “I don’t know what they would do at the negotiation table… if they want to sit there to continue the war, why should we invite them?”
European Leaders’ Reactions
European leaders have expressed cautious reactions to the discussions. A spokesperson for Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “Direct communication between the US and Russia is not bad, as long as it seeks to find ways to establish lasting and sustainable peace.” Meanwhile, the French presidency announced that European leaders would hold an emergency meeting in Paris to discuss the situation in Ukraine and European security.
Russia’s Military Advances
Russia is preparing to sit down for talks, highlighting its recent military successes. Russian forces have forced Ukrainian troops to retreat across a battlefront stretching over 1,000 kilometers.
Additionally, Kyiv is facing the threat of losing US military assistance, which Trump has long criticized.
Future Compromise
However, it remains unclear whether these discussions will lead to a peace agreement. Both Kyiv and Moscow have rejected the idea of making territorial concessions, and last year, Putin stated that Ukraine would need to withdraw its forces from even more territory.
Now, all eyes are on the upcoming meeting, where top diplomats from Russia and the United States will come together to discuss restoring relations between the two countries and finding a resolution to the Ukraine war.
