Russia-U.S. Talks in Saudi Arabia: Ukraine Excluded from Discussions

Saudi Arabia will host a meeting between senior Russian and American officials on Tuesday, February 18, the Kremlin confirmed on Monday. These talks will focus primarily on restoring relations between Moscow and Washington, as well as preparing potential negotiations regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The possibility of a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will also be discussed.

A High-Level Meeting Without Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov are set to travel to Riyadh on Monday. On the American side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already arrived in Saudi Arabia, accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denounced Kyiv’s exclusion from these talks, warning that Ukraine “will not recognize” any agreement made without its participation.

Europe on High Alert

These discussions were prompted by a phone call last week between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, during which the two leaders agreed to immediately initiate negotiations to end the conflict. This move has alarmed European leaders, who fear being sidelined from the diplomatic process. In response, several European leaders are meeting in Paris on Monday to coordinate their position on the continent’s security.