Senior U.S. and Russian officials met in Riyadh for their first high-level talks since the Ukraine invasion, focusing on potential pathways to end the war.
Qatar has welcomed Saudi Arabia’s initiative to host talks between Russia and the United States in Riyadh.
In a statement, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended Saudi Arabia for its role in promoting international security and stability, highlighting its efforts in facilitating dialogue between key global powers.
“This initiative is a continuation of Saudi Arabia’s responsible role in supporting peaceful solutions and promoting dialogue as a fundamental approach to resolving conflicts and fostering international understanding,“ the ministry said.
What happened at the U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh?
Senior officials from the United States and Russia convened in Riyadh on Tuesday for the first high-level talks between the two nations since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
The meeting, held at Diriyah Palace, included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, but notably excluded representatives from Ukraine or Europe.
The discussions, which lasted over four hours, centred on potential pathways to ending the conflict in Ukraine.
One of the key outcomes of the talks was an agreement to restore staffing at the U.S. and Russian embassies in Moscow and Washington, which have been severely depleted due to a series of diplomatic expulsions.
Lavrov announced that both sides had agreed to fast-track the appointment of new ambassadors and to address “artificial barriers” hindering diplomatic operations.
Rubio also emphasised the importance of normalising diplomatic channels.
“Bringing an end to the conflict cannot happen unless we have at least some normalcy in the way our diplomatic missions operate in Moscow and in Washington, D.C,” he said.
The talks also saw the establishment of high-level working groups to explore a negotiated end to the Ukraine conflict.
The absence of Ukrainian officials
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the talks, stating that Kyiv had been left in the dark, during an official visit to Turkey.
“We will never, under any circumstances, recognise our temporarily occupied territories as part of Russia. They are part of Ukraine,” he said.
Zelenskyy also insisted on security guarantees from the U.S. and Europe before any agreement could be made.
Meanwhile, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to negotiate a settlement, but stressed that any lasting resolution would require a “comprehensive consideration of security issues” in Europe, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Peskov also acknowledged Ukraine’s right to join the European Union but rejected the idea of its NATO membership, reiterating Russia’s opposition to the alliance’s expansion.
President Donald Trump, who has long sought to mend ties with Moscow, placed blame on Ukraine for the conflict, suggesting that Kyiv should have made concessions to Russia before the 2022 invasion.
Speaking from his Florida residence, Trump dismissed Ukraine’s objections to being excluded from the talks.
“Today I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you been there for three years,” he said. “You should have ended it three years ago. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.”
