 "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second left, meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, third left, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, second right, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, February 18, 2025. File Image/AP")
Senior officials from the United States and Russia are meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday for a critical round of discussions aimed at restoring relations and potentially setting the groundwork for peace negotiations to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The high-stakes meeting , brokered with Saudi Arabia’s involvement, is being viewed as a significant diplomatic breakthrough.
According to the Kremlin, these discussions could pave the way for a direct meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future. The two leaders held an extensive phone conversation last Wednesday .
Despite the diplomatic push, Ukraine and European nations have been excluded from the talks , drawing criticism from Kyiv and European leaders, who argue that no negotiations about Ukraine’s future should take place without its direct participation.
Who’s who in the Russia-US talks?
Marco Rubio – US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio, Trump’s secretary of state and top foreign affairs advisor, arrived in Riyadh on Monday. A former Florida senator, Rubio has positioned himself as a staunch advocate of negotiations, stating that a peace settlement is the only realistic way to end the war in Ukraine.
In a statement made last September, Rubio asserted: “I’m not on Russia’s side - but unfortunately the reality of it is that the way the war in Ukraine is going to end is with a negotiated settlement.”
Rubio had already spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov over the phone ahead of the talks.
He has also softened many of his earlier stances to align with Trump’s foreign policy, which earned him a spot among the final contenders for Trump’s vice-presidential pick in the 2024 election.
Michael Waltz – US National Security Adviser
Another prominent US official at the negotiations is Michael Waltz, the US national security adviser .
A Green Beret veteran who served in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa, Waltz has been a vocal advocate of leveraging economic and military pressure on Russia to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
In a co-authored article published in The Economist last November, Waltz proposed that the US could either ease sanctions on Russia or escalate military support to Ukraine, stating: “America can use economic leverage, including lifting the pause on exports of liquefied natural gas and cracking down on Russia’s illicit oil sales, to bring Mr. Putin to the table. If he refuses to talk, Washington can, as Mr. Trump argued, provide more weapons to Ukraine with fewer restrictions on their use.”
Steve Witkoff – US Special Middle East Envoy
Steve Witkoff , a billionaire real estate developer and longtime confidant of Trump, is also playing a crucial role in the discussions.
Having built his career in property development in New York and Florida, Witkoff has recently transitioned into a more active diplomatic role, credited with facilitating the Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations and securing the release of an American prisoner from Russia .
Witkoff, despite his lack of formal diplomatic experience, has been personally entrusted by Trump to assist in negotiations with Russia.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, he confirmed his involvement, stating: “And hopefully we’ll make some really good progress.”
Sergey Lavrov – Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s long-serving foreign minister since 2004, is leading Moscow’s delegation. A veteran diplomat known for his aggressive and sometimes controversial rhetoric, Lavrov has remained a staunch defender of Russia’s stance on Ukraine.
Despite initial denials of a planned invasion, he has since claimed Russia is merely responding to external threats.
Lavrov is expected to maintain a firm position in Riyadh but could be open to discussions if substantial concessions are made. His negotiating style has been described as both pragmatic and combative, with a history of making bold statements on the international stage.
Yuri Ushakov – Putin’s Foreign Policy Adviser
Joining Lavrov is Yuri Ushakov, one of Putin’s closest foreign policy advisers. Ushakov, who previously served as Russia’s ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2008, has been instrumental in shaping Russia’s diplomatic approach to the West.
His experience with US relations makes him a key figure in these negotiations, as he is well-acquainted with American diplomatic processes and officials.
What are the objectives of the talks?
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated that the primary aim of the discussions is to restore US-Russia relations and establish a framework for future peace talks regarding Ukraine. While specific details remain scarce, the talks are expected to lay the groundwork for a direct Trump-Putin meeting.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote about his recent call with Putin, saying: “As we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.”
Despite Trump’s optimism, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed deep concerns about being excluded from the negotiations.
Zelenskyy has insisted that any agreement made without Ukraine’s direct involvement is invalid, stating: “And we cannot acknowledge anything, any arrangements about us, that were made without us. And we will not recognise such agreements.”
What does the exclusion of Ukraine and Europe mean?
The decision to exclude Ukraine and European nations from the negotiations has fueled tensions between Washington and its traditional allies.
European leaders have convened their own emergency meeting in Paris , warning that sidelining Europe in these talks could undermine NATO’s unity.
Zelenskyy, while expressing gratitude for Trump’s past support, remains wary of a deal being negotiated without Ukrainian input. Speaking to NBC News, he said: “I hope so. I hope so. Yes, I count on it. I trust Trump because he’s the president of the US, because your people voted for him and I respect their choice.”
The meeting in Riyadh marks one of the most significant diplomatic engagements between the US and Russia in years, with the potential to shift the trajectory of the war in Ukraine.
While Trump’s team insists that any potential deal will eventually involve Ukraine and Europe, scepticism remains.
Rubio has acknowledged this concern, telling CBS News on Sunday: “If it’s real negotiations, and we’re not there yet, but if that were to happen, Ukraine will have to be involved because they are the ones that were invaded, and the Europeans will have to be involved because… they have sanctions on Putin and Russia as well, and they’ve contributed to this effort.”
With inputs from agencies