Russia, U.S. to call negotiators on ending Ukraine warfare: Washington

U.S. and Russian officers throughout a gathering at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: AP

Washington mentioned Russia and the USA will title groups to barter a path to ending the warfare in Ukraine as quickly as potential, because the superpowers met on Tuesday (February 18, 2025) in Saudi Arabia with out Kyiv or the EU.

Nonetheless, no specifics on a potential assembly between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin emerged from the gathering in Riyadh, the primary high-level official Washington-Moscow talks since Ukraine’s 2022 invasion.

Some European leaders, alarmed by Trump’s overhaul of U.S. coverage on Russia, concern Washington will make severe concessions to Moscow and re-write the continent’s safety association in a Chilly Struggle-style deal between superpowers.

On Tuesday (February 18, 2025), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to “appoint respective high-level groups to start engaged on a path to ending the battle in Ukraine as quickly as potential”, the State Division mentioned.

Washington added the perimeters had additionally agreed to “set up a session mechanism” to deal with “irritants” to Russia and America’s relationship, noting the perimeters would lay the groundwork for future cooperation.

Russia provided much less element on the end result of the talks, saying: “We mentioned and outlined our principled positions, and agreed that separate groups of negotiators might be in contact on this matter in the end.”

“It’s nonetheless troublesome to speak a couple of particular date for a gathering between the 2 leaders,” mentioned Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s international coverage aide.

Russia sketched out a few of its views on future talks to ending the combating in Ukraine, arguing that settling the warfare required a reorganisation of Europe’s defence agreements.

Moscow has lengthy referred to as for the withdrawal of NATO forces from jap Europe, viewing the alliance as an existential menace on its flank.

“An enduring and long-term viable decision is unimaginable with out a complete consideration of safety points on the continent,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters on Tuesday, responding to a query by AFP.

Earlier than invading Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow had demanded NATO pull out of central and jap Europe.

European leaders held an emergency assembly in Paris a day earlier, however struggled to placed on a united entrance.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in Turkey on Tuesday, mentioned on the eve of the talks that he was not invited and wouldn’t “recognise any issues or any agreements about us with out us”.

Remoted by the West for 3 years, Russia is hoping for a “restoration” of ties with the USA and a comeback to the worldwide area.

On the Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, negotiations started with out seen handshakes.

‘How one can begin negotiations’

Each Russia and the USA have solid Tuesday’s assembly as the start of a doubtlessly prolonged course of and downplayed the prospects of a breakthrough.

Russia’s Ushakov advised state media the talks would focus on “ begin negotiations on Ukraine”.

Trump has mentioned he needs to finish the warfare in Ukraine, however has up to now introduced no concrete plan.

The USA has urged each side that concessions must be made if any peace talks materialise.

Russia on the eve of the summit mentioned there can’t be even a “thought” on it giving up territory seized from Ukraine.

The Kremlin mentioned Tuesday that Ukraine had the “proper” to hitch the European Union, however not the NATO navy alliance.

It additionally mentioned Putin was “prepared” to barter with Zelensky “if obligatory”, although repeated its questioning of his “legitimacy” — a reference to his five-year time period expiring final 12 months, regardless of Ukrainian regulation not requiring elections throughout wartime.

The Ukrainian chief was in Turkey on Tuesday for discussions on the battle with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He’s due in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, although he mentioned he doesn’t plan to fulfill with US or Russian officers.

‘Efforts towards peace’

The EU, reeling from a sequence of speeches by Trump’s officers indicating Washington doesn’t see Moscow as a menace, mentioned it nonetheless needs to “accomplice” with the USA on any truce talks.

Trump’s administration has given no clear reply on whether or not the EU would participate and Moscow has mentioned it sees no level in Europe having a seat on the desk.

“Financially and militarily, Europe has introduced extra to the desk than anybody else,” the president of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, mentioned on social media.

“We wish to accomplice with the US to ship a simply and lasting peace for Ukraine.”

Key Russian ally China additionally welcomed “efforts in direction of peace” on Tuesday.

“On the identical time, we hope that each one events and stakeholders can take part,” international ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun mentioned.

Russia has introduced cautious optimism on the talks.