Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Feb. 18 (LaPresse/AP) – Today marks the meeting between the USA and Russia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Officials from both sides are meeting this morning in an attempt to improve relations, with the end of the war in Ukraine also on the agenda.
This is the most significant meeting since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, on February 24, 2022, and it aims to pave the way for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov are representing Russia. They arrived in the Saudi capital on Monday evening. Ushakov stated that the talks will be “purely bilateral” and will not include Ukrainian officials.
For the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are participating.
The recent 'diplomatic blitz' by the United States on the war – with Trump shaking up US policy on Ukraine and Russia by stating earlier this month that he and Putin had agreed to start negotiations on ending the conflict – has led Kyiv and its main allies to scramble to secure a seat at the table, fearing that Washington and Moscow might reach an agreement that could be unfavorable to them.