Negotiations between the United States and Russia are set to take place in Saudi Arabia next week as part of efforts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have been left out of the meeting, with President Volodymyr Zelensky confirming that his government was not invited to take part in the discussions. European leaders will also be absent.
Ukraine will not participate in the talks that the US and Russia will hold in the coming days in Saudi Arabia, because it is just an item on the agenda.
Ukraine must understand its irrelevance to world powers!— António Lopes (@AntnioL59095440) February 16, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Saudi Arabia for the discussions. The Russian delegation will include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other top officials. Rubio and Lavrov spoke over the phone ahead of the meeting, according to reports.
🇪🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🚨‼️ THE EU OPENLY SAYS THEY WILL SABOTAGE PEACE IN UKRAINE IF THEY’RE NOT AT THE TABLE.
Kallas: “if somebody agrees something and I mean, everybody else says ‘okay fine!’ you have agreed,but we will not follow this!”
-> EU’s position is “our importance” trumps any peace! pic.twitter.com/CMsYIpi6Q6
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) February 16, 2025
The talks come after Trump had separate phone conversations with both Putin and Zelensky, reaffirming his goal of securing a peace agreement. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul stated that the upcoming discussions are meant to lay the groundwork for a future meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky.
European leaders have voiced frustration over their exclusion, but Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, pushed back, saying they should focus on contributing solutions rather than being concerned about not having a seat at the table. In addition, Washington has asked European nations what specific security commitments they can make to Ukraine.
Vice President J.D. Vance met with Zelensky in Germany, describing their discussion as “fruitful.” He reiterated the Trump administration’s stance on working toward “a durable, lasting peace.”
Russia continues to occupy a significant portion of Ukrainian territory while Ukraine insists on full territorial restoration. Meanwhile, Kyiv and Washington are negotiating a deal that would allow American companies to invest in Ukraine’s critical minerals sector, though Zelensky has raised concerns about the agreement’s security provisions.
