Official delegations from the United States and Russia held a key meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to address the conflict in Ukraine. The parties reached preliminary agreements on bilateral and geopolitical matters, representing a first step towards a possible resolution of the conflict.
According to U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, it is crucial to take action to move towards lasting peace in the region. Despite the persisting challenges, significant agreements have been reached during the negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the importance of not making agreements about Ukraine without the country's participation.
Among the agreements reached are the creation of a bilateral consultation mechanism to restore diplomatic relations, the formation of high-level teams to seek a sustainable solution to the conflict, laying the groundwork for future cooperation on geopolitical and economic matters, and ensuring a mutual commitment to advance the peace process in a timely and productive manner.
The meeting in Riyadh was preceded by a phone conversation between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, where some key positions regarding the war were softened. The U.S. delegation was led by prominent officials such as White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Russia was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kremlin political advisor Yuri Ushakov.
The goal of the meeting was to assess Russia's seriousness in its intention to end the conflict and move towards a peaceful solution in Ukraine.
