Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed on Tuesday to restore diplomatic relations and establish high-level negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marks a significant step in diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict.
According to a statement from U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, the two diplomats pledged to “lay the groundwork for future cooperation on mutual geopolitical interests and economic opportunities that will arise from a successful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”
RELATED NEWS : Hungarian Foreign Minister Criticizes Paris Summit, Claims Attendees Oppose Peace in Ukraine
“President Donald Trump is committed to ending the violence. The United States seeks peace and is leveraging its global influence to bring nations together,” Bruce stated. “President Trump is the only leader capable of securing an agreement between Ukraine and Russia.”
As part of the agreement, Washington and Moscow will establish a consultation mechanism to resolve bilateral tensions and facilitate the normalization of diplomatic operations. Additionally, both sides will form high-level teams tasked with drafting a roadmap to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible.
The Riyadh talks followed a phone call last week between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which both leaders underscored the urgent need to bring the conflict to a close.
“One phone call and one meeting alone cannot establish lasting peace,” Bruce said. “Today, however, we took an important step forward.”
The Trump administration has also emphasized that Ukraine must provide compensation—potentially through rare earth exports and other strategic assets—for the billions of dollars in military and financial aid it has received from Washington since Russia’s invasion began.
This diplomatic breakthrough signals a potential shift in U.S.-Russia relations and raises hopes for a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy statement about this meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking during a visit to Turkey, reacted to the U.S.-Russia talks by suggesting that Moscow was reviving the ultimatums it had previously issued during early peace negotiations following its full-scale invasion.
“I get the sense that some negotiations are taking place now with the same tone—only this time between Russia and the United States,” Zelenskyy said at the Ukrainian embassy in Ankara.
“Once again, discussions about Ukraine are happening without Ukraine,” he added. “If we refused to surrender to ultimatums during the most difficult times, what makes anyone think we would agree to them now?”
“I have never intended to yield to Russia’s ultimatums, and I do not intend to now,” Zelenskyy asserted.
SOURCE : EFE.| Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
