Saturday, 22 February, 2025
The United States and Russia announced on Tuesday that they had agreed to continue efforts to end the war in Ukraine, following a round of talks in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in which Kyiv was not represented.
The 4.5-hour meeting in Riyadh marked a significant development as the first direct discussions between US and Russian officials aimed at finding a way to end the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Ukraine, however, has made it clear that it will not accept any peace deal imposed without its consent.
Even before the talks began, the Trump administration came under criticism from some European politicians, who accused it of offering free concessions to Moscow. These criticisms followed the administration’s decision to rule out NATO membership for Ukraine and dismiss claims that Kyiv could regain 20 per cent of its territory currently under Russian control, calling it an unrealistic goal.
US national security adviser Mike Waltz told reporters in Riyadh that the war must come to a permanent end, and this would involve negotiations over territory.
"Just a practical reality is that there is going to be some discussion of territory and there's going to be discussion of security guarantees," he said.
Addressing Ukrainian and European concerns, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no one was being sidelined, the European Union needed to be involved at some point, and any solution must be acceptable to all parties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had postponed a visit to Saudi Arabia planned for Wednesday until next month, and that talks on how to end the war with Russia could not be held behind Ukraine's back.
Even as the meeting in the Saudi capital was underway, Russia hardened its demands.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow it was "not enough" for NATO not to admit Ukraine as a member. She said the alliance must go further by disavowing a promise it made at a summit in Bucharest in 2008 that Kyiv would join at a future, unspecified date.
"Otherwise, this issue will continue to poison the atmosphere across the European continent," she said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently argued that NATO membership is the only way to ensure Kyiv's sovereignty and independence from its nuclear-armed neighbour.
In 1994, Ukraine agreed to relinquish its Soviet-era nuclear weapons in exchange for assurances of its independence and territorial integrity from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
RUSSIA PRESENTS NEW DEMANDS BEFORE US NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN
As European nations discuss the possibility of contributing peacekeepers to support any potential peace deal for Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated in Riyadh that Moscow would not accept the deployment of NATO troops, regardless of the flag under which they operated.
"Of course, this is unacceptable to us," Lavrov remarked.
Lavrov’s comments, alongside those of Russian spokesperson Maria Zakharova, signaled that Moscow would continue to push for further concessions during the negotiations. The initial talks on Tuesday saw Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov—veterans with a combined 34 years of experience in their roles—negotiate with three Trump administration officials who were in their first month on the job.
Neither side set a date for a meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, though both expressed a desire for one.
The swift diplomacy, beginning with a phone call between Putin and Trump just six days ago, has raised concerns in Ukraine and European capitals that the two leaders could strike a quick deal that bypasses security interests, rewards Moscow for its invasion, and leaves Putin free to threaten Ukraine or other countries in the future.
Jana Puglierin, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 made it clear that Europeans could no longer rely on Russia. She also emphasized that developments this month marked a more significant turning point. "February 2025 reveals that the Americans no longer see themselves as responsible for European security, and their interests now fundamentally differ from ours," she said.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that both sides had agreed to form "respective high-level teams to begin working on a path to end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible, in a manner that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all parties."
Following the talks, Russian negotiator Ushakov told reporters, "It was a very serious conversation covering all the issues we aimed to address."
Senator Marco Rubio, who attended the discussions, expressed confidence that the Russian side was "willing to engage in a serious process" to determine how and through what mechanisms the war could end.
Rubio also noted that both sides would work to restore their diplomatic missions in Washington and Moscow.
Lavrov mentioned "high interest" in removing economic barriers between the two countries, following waves of sanctions imposed by the US and other Western nations in response to the war, aimed at isolating Putin.
When asked about the possibility of sanctions being lifted, Rubio remained non-committal, stating, "Other parties, including the European Union, will eventually need to be involved, as they too have imposed sanctions."
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The United States and Russia announced on Tuesday that they had agreed to continue efforts to end the war in Ukraine, following a round of talks in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in which Kyiv was not represented.
The 4.5-hour meeting in Riyadh marked a significant development as the first direct discussions between US and Russian officials aimed at finding a way to end the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Ukraine, however, has made it clear that it will not accept any peace deal imposed without its consent.
Even before the talks began, the Trump administration came under criticism from some European politicians, who accused it of offering free concessions to Moscow. These criticisms followed the administration’s decision to rule out NATO membership for Ukraine and dismiss claims that Kyiv could regain 20 per cent of its territory currently under Russian control, calling it an unrealistic goal.
US national security adviser Mike Waltz told reporters in Riyadh that the war must come to a permanent end, and this would involve negotiations over territory.
"Just a practical reality is that there is going to be some discussion of territory and there's going to be discussion of security guarantees," he said.
Addressing Ukrainian and European concerns, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no one was being sidelined, the European Union needed to be involved at some point, and any solution must be acceptable to all parties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had postponed a visit to Saudi Arabia planned for Wednesday until next month, and that talks on how to end the war with Russia could not be held behind Ukraine's back.
Even as the meeting in the Saudi capital was underway, Russia hardened its demands.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow it was "not enough" for NATO not to admit Ukraine as a member. She said the alliance must go further by disavowing a promise it made at a summit in Bucharest in 2008 that Kyiv would join at a future, unspecified date.
"Otherwise, this issue will continue to poison the atmosphere across the European continent," she said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently argued that NATO membership is the only way to ensure Kyiv's sovereignty and independence from its nuclear-armed neighbour.
In 1994, Ukraine agreed to relinquish its Soviet-era nuclear weapons in exchange for assurances of its independence and territorial integrity from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
RUSSIA PRESENTS NEW DEMANDS BEFORE US NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN
As European nations discuss the possibility of contributing peacekeepers to support any potential peace deal for Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated in Riyadh that Moscow would not accept the deployment of NATO troops, regardless of the flag under which they operated.
"Of course, this is unacceptable to us," Lavrov remarked.
Lavrov’s comments, alongside those of Russian spokesperson Maria Zakharova, signaled that Moscow would continue to push for further concessions during the negotiations. The initial talks on Tuesday saw Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov—veterans with a combined 34 years of experience in their roles—negotiate with three Trump administration officials who were in their first month on the job.
Neither side set a date for a meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, though both expressed a desire for one.
The swift diplomacy, beginning with a phone call between Putin and Trump just six days ago, has raised concerns in Ukraine and European capitals that the two leaders could strike a quick deal that bypasses security interests, rewards Moscow for its invasion, and leaves Putin free to threaten Ukraine or other countries in the future.
Jana Puglierin, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 made it clear that Europeans could no longer rely on Russia. She also emphasized that developments this month marked a more significant turning point. "February 2025 reveals that the Americans no longer see themselves as responsible for European security, and their interests now fundamentally differ from ours," she said.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that both sides had agreed to form "respective high-level teams to begin working on a path to end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible, in a manner that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all parties."
Following the talks, Russian negotiator Ushakov told reporters, "It was a very serious conversation covering all the issues we aimed to address."
Senator Marco Rubio, who attended the discussions, expressed confidence that the Russian side was "willing to engage in a serious process" to determine how and through what mechanisms the war could end.
Rubio also noted that both sides would work to restore their diplomatic missions in Washington and Moscow.
Lavrov mentioned "high interest" in removing economic barriers between the two countries, following waves of sanctions imposed by the US and other Western nations in response to the war, aimed at isolating Putin.
When asked about the possibility of sanctions being lifted, Rubio remained non-committal, stating, "Other parties, including the European Union, will eventually need to be involved, as they too have imposed sanctions."
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