A US-Russian meeting on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia is due to take place on Tuesday, Axios reported, citing informed sources.
Russian and US delegations are already in Saudi Arabia
“A meeting of senior US and Russian officials to discuss a possible agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine and prepare for a summit between Trump and Putin will take place in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, two informed sources said,” the media said.
They confirmed media reports that the US side will be represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser to the President Mike Walz and Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Whitkoff.
On the Russian side, several key figures will take part in the talks. Among them are presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Foreign Intelligence Service director Sergei Naryshkin and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. These high-profile diplomats and specialists will actively participate in the discussion and elaboration of possible solutions that could help stabilise the situation in Ukraine and the international arena as a whole.
Saudi Arabia, as it has become known, is not just providing its territory for these important meetings, but will also assume the role of a mediator in the negotiation process. This decision seems to be driven by the kingdom’s desire to strengthen its position in the international arena and play an important role in resolving one of the most pressing conflicts in Europe. At the talks, the Saudi delegation will be headed by the kingdom’s national security adviser, which emphasises the importance of this event for the country.
Ukraine is not invited to the negotiations
The Ukrainian delegation has actively started its work in Saudi Arabia. TV channel NBC, citing sources, reported that Ukraine’s participation in the meeting in Saudi Arabia is not envisaged.
“Two US officials confirmed that Ukraine was not invited to the talks in Saudi Arabia, but said that the United States intends to hold a bilateral meeting with Russia, then a bilateral meeting with Ukraine, and after that – joint talks,” NBC reported.
However, US President Donald Trump confirmed the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the negotiation process.
“He will be involved, yes,” he said, speaking to reporters.
Zelensky to travel to Saudi Arabia
Zelensky is preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia, where talks between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump may take place. Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that as part of the visit, the Ukrainian leader had scheduled meetings with local entrepreneurs to discuss initiatives in the spheres of energy, agriculture and infrastructure. According to her, the Ukrainian delegation is already in the kingdom.
Zelensky said that he was ready to hold talks with Putin, provided that representatives of the US and Europe were present and there were “strong security guarantees.” In an interview with NBC, he also noted that it is impossible to end the conflict without the decision of the Russian leader.
Zelensky stated the need to meet with the US president. He also noted that Trump did not invite him to Saudi Arabia, although he is ready to meet in Washington. Zelensky emphasised that the teams of both presidents need to agree on details to set a date for the meeting.
He also noted that Ukraine would not accept a deal between the US and Russia to resolve the conflict without taking its opinion into account and added that the US most likely does not have a clear peace plan for Ukraine. In addition, Zelensky said he was working on a co-operation agreement to attract US investment in Ukraine. He also stated his desire to show the “front lines” to Trump’s special representative Keith Kellogg during his visit to Kyiv.
US-Russia contacts
Meanwhile, Rubio had his first phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the evening of February 15. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, they agreed to maintain a channel of communication to solve the accumulated problems in Russian-American relations. In addition, the sides have a “mutual mood” to interact on topical international issues, including the settlement around Ukraine, Palestine and in general in the Middle East and other areas.
In addition, Rubio and Lavrov agreed “in the very near future” to organise a meeting of experts for the subsequent mutual removal of obstacles to the work of the foreign missions of the two countries. Among the examples of tougher conditions for the functioning of Russian diplomatic missions in the US are visa restrictions, expulsion of diplomats, and restrictions on their movement.
UK is “ready” to put troops on ground
News of the talks between the US and Russia came after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Sunday that he was ready to deploy British troops to Ukraine to enforce a peace agreement if necessary, CNN reports.
In an article for the Daily Telegraph, Starmer said he does not take the possibility lightly, but believes that helping to secure Ukraine would also strengthen the security of the United Kingdom and Europe.
The British prime minister urged European countries to increase their defence spending and “play a greater role in NATO,” but said US support would still be crucial to ensure peace. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said he would meet with Trump and other G7 allies in the coming days to strike a favourable deal.
