Russia and the United States have agreed to form negotiation teams aimed at finding a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The decision follows high-level discussions between Washington and Moscow, marking the first official engagement since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, the exclusion of Ukraine from the talks has sparked criticism from Kyiv.
Washington acknowledged that European nations would need to participate in the negotiations “at some point,” reassuring allies concerned about the potential terms of a US-Russia agreement. Some European leaders, wary of former President Donald Trump’s shift in US policy towards Russia, fear that Washington may make significant concessions to Moscow, potentially altering Europe’s security framework.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly condemned the exclusion of Ukraine from the recent diplomatic meeting in Riyadh, which lasted over four hours. He insisted that any negotiations to end the conflict must be “fair” and include key European nations, as well as Turkey, which has offered to host peace talks.
“This only feeds Putin’s appetite,” a senior Ukrainian official told AFP, criticizing the decision to proceed with negotiations without Kyiv’s involvement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to appoint high-level negotiation teams tasked with developing a roadmap to end the war as soon as possible, according to a statement from the US State Department.
Additionally, both nations have agreed to create a “consultation mechanism” to address key diplomatic tensions between them and lay the groundwork for future cooperation.
Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, confirmed the appointment of negotiation teams but noted that setting a date for a potential Trump-Putin meeting remains “difficult.” The meeting itself represents a diplomatic breakthrough for Moscow, which had faced three years of isolation under the previous US administration led by Joe Biden.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s lead economic negotiator, declared that Western attempts to isolate Moscow had “clearly failed,” highlighting the importance of the talks.
“We didn’t just listen—we were heard. And I have reason to believe the US now has a better understanding of our position,” Lavrov stated.
The Russian diplomat also reaffirmed Moscow’s opposition to any NATO troop deployment in Ukraine as part of a future ceasefire agreement.
The question of European military involvement in Ukraine has sparked division among Western leaders.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated his willingness to consider deploying British troops as part of a truce enforcement mechanism. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that while France was not preparing to send combat troops to the front lines, it was open to deploying “experts or even troops in limited roles outside conflict zones.”
However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed such discussions as “completely premature.”
Russia has long argued that resolving the war requires a reconfiguration of Europe’s security architecture. Before launching its invasion in 2022, Moscow demanded the withdrawal of NATO forces from Central and Eastern Europe, citing the alliance as a direct threat.
As part of the Riyadh discussions, Washington briefed key European ministers on the progress of talks, reiterating that Europe would eventually need to be involved. “There are other parties with sanctions against Russia. The European Union will have to be at the table,” Rubio stated.
The negotiations in Riyadh began without handshakes, signaling the deep mistrust between the two sides. Both Washington and Moscow described the meeting as the start of a lengthy diplomatic process, downplaying expectations of an immediate breakthrough.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to end the war in Ukraine but has yet to outline a concrete strategy. The US has informed both sides that compromises will be necessary for meaningful negotiations to take place.
Meanwhile, Moscow has made it clear that it will not consider surrendering any Ukrainian territory it has occupied since the start of the war. The Kremlin also reiterated that while Ukraine has the “right” to join the European Union, NATO membership remains off the table.
While negotiations unfolded in Riyadh, Ukrainian President Zelensky traveled to Turkey for discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the ongoing conflict.
As diplomatic maneuvering continues, the future of Ukraine remains uncertain, with key global powers struggling to find common ground.
