U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia to initiate talks aimed at ending the nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine. However, Ukraine has not been invited and will not engage with Russia without consulting its strategic partners.
The talks, facilitated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials, aim to set up a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Trump, who took office on January 20, has pledged to quickly end the war but has excluded European allies from the peace process.
Russia has insisted Ukraine cede territory and remain neutral, while Ukraine demands Russia withdraw from occupied regions and seeks NATO membership or similar security guarantees. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Ukraine are negotiating a deal granting U.S. companies significant stakes in Ukraine’s critical minerals, though Zelenskiy has raised concerns over security provisions in the draft agreement.
