The Kremlin has confirmed U.S-Russia meetings in Saudi Arabia, saying that Russian officials will hold talks with U.S. counterparts in Riyadh.
Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said that Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Yuri Ushakov will fly to the Saudi capital later in the day to take part in the talks set for Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
Peskov said that the talks will be primarily focused on “restoring the entire complex of U.S.-Russian relations, as well as preparing possible talks on the Ukrainian settlement and organizing a meeting of the two Presidents.”
The talks follow last week’s telephone call between US President, Donald Trump and Russian President, Vladimir Putin in which Trump said that they “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.”
The call upended years of U.S. policy, ending the isolation of Moscow over its February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine.
After the call with Putin, Trump phoned Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy to inform him about their conversation.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio will lead the U.S. delegation at the meeting in Riyadh.
Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff disclosed to a news agency that he and National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz also will take part in the talks.
Speaking to the news agency, Witkoff said that he and Waltz will be “having meetings at the direction of the President,” and hope to make “some really good progress with regard to Russia-Ukraine.”
Witkoff did not directly respond to a question about whether Ukraine would have to give up a “significant portion” of its territory as part of any negotiated settlement.
“Those are details, and I’m not dismissive of the details, they’re important. But I think the beginning here is trust-building. It’s getting everybody to understand that this war does not belong continuing, that it should end. That’s what the President has directed us to do.”
Steve Witkoff
Trump on Sunday told reporters that Zelenskyy “will be involved,” but did not elaborate, and it was not immediately clear if any Ukrainians would take part in the talks in Saudi Arabia.
Zelenskyy has said that he wouldn’t accept any negotiations about Ukraine that don’t include his country. European governments have also demanded a role.
Podolyak Denies Ukraine’s Participation In U.S.-Russia Meetings In Saudi Arabia
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy, denied that Ukraine will participate in any planned U.S.-Russia meetings in Saudi Arabia. “There is nothing on the negotiating table that would be worth discussing,” he told Ukrainian television.
Andriy Yermak, a top Zelenskyy adviser,also said that there was no possibility of Ukrainian and Russian representatives meeting directly in the immediate future.
In a Telegram post, Yermak said that the Ukrainians weren’t planning to do so “until we develop a plan” to end the war and bring about a “just peace.”
For Kyiv, news of the negotiations in Saudi Arabia came as a surprise.
On Sunday, February 16, 2025, a Ukrainian government delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia to prepare for a visit by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, Zelenskyy has said that no meetings with U.S. or Russian representatives are planned during his trip.
Ukrainian Economy Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, also a first Deputy Prime Minister, didn’t clarify whether there is a link between Zelenskyy’s planned trip to Saudi Arabia and previously announced U.S.-Russia talks.
In a Facebook post, she said that the Ukrainian delegation’s focus is on strengthening economic ties as Kyiv “prepares to sign important economic agreements with countries in the region.”
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