Focus on the BIG picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
Outside the box.
The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advancement.
Delegations from the U.S. and Russia convene in Riyadh to explore a possible resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed that Kyiv will not back any discussions that exclude Ukrainian representatives. The question remains, can those in need really afford to be choosy?
On Tuesday, senior officials from the United States and Russia gathered at the Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss their bilateral relations and the potential for resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
The U.S. delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was joined by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, along with Kremlin foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov.
Saudi officials, including Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Musaed al Alban, participated in the initial phase of the discussions before departing.
The conversations occurred without representatives from Kyiv present.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously indicated that Kyiv would not endorse any resolutions from the discussions lacking Ukrainian involvement.
Russian officials affirmed that the talks were strictly bilateral in nature.
This meeting highlights a rise in high-level interactions between the United States and Russia nearly three years into the Ukraine conflict, a period during which their bilateral relations have severely declined.
Previous interactions included a brief exchange between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a G-20 summit in India almost two years ago, as well as a meeting between U.S. and Russian intelligence officials in Turkey in the fall of 2022.
In separate statements, Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, stressed the significance of strong U.S.-Russia relations in tackling global issues.
International reactions to the recent discussions have featured appeals from European leaders for greater inclusion of Ukrainian viewpoints, leading France to organize an emergency meeting of European Union nations and the United Kingdom.
French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated the necessity of ending hostilities and ensuring security guarantees for Ukraine.
The meeting in Riyadh comes after a series of diplomatic initiatives and signifies ongoing efforts by U.S. and Russian officials to seek solutions to the conflict.
All developments are being closely monitored by international stakeholders.
The U.S. delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was joined by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, along with Kremlin foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov.
Saudi officials, including Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Musaed al Alban, participated in the initial phase of the discussions before departing.
The conversations occurred without representatives from Kyiv present.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously indicated that Kyiv would not endorse any resolutions from the discussions lacking Ukrainian involvement.
Russian officials affirmed that the talks were strictly bilateral in nature.
This meeting highlights a rise in high-level interactions between the United States and Russia nearly three years into the Ukraine conflict, a period during which their bilateral relations have severely declined.
Previous interactions included a brief exchange between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a G-20 summit in India almost two years ago, as well as a meeting between U.S. and Russian intelligence officials in Turkey in the fall of 2022.
In separate statements, Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, stressed the significance of strong U.S.-Russia relations in tackling global issues.
International reactions to the recent discussions have featured appeals from European leaders for greater inclusion of Ukrainian viewpoints, leading France to organize an emergency meeting of European Union nations and the United Kingdom.
French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated the necessity of ending hostilities and ensuring security guarantees for Ukraine.
The meeting in Riyadh comes after a series of diplomatic initiatives and signifies ongoing efforts by U.S. and Russian officials to seek solutions to the conflict.
All developments are being closely monitored by international stakeholders.
