US, Russian top diplomats discuss embassy staffing, Ukraine peace negotiations in Saudi talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Saudi Arabia to discuss the restoration of embassy staffing and to form a high-level team aimed at negotiating peace in Ukraine.

The talks reflect a shift in U.S. foreign policy, with both sides seeking to improve relations and explore potential solutions to the ongoing conflict, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting on February 18, which took place amid ongoing concerns over Kyiv's absence in peace discussions. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has insisted that any peace outcome must involve Ukraine, while European allies have expressed unease over being sidelined in the negotiations.

Rubio emphasized the need for vibrant diplomatic missions to continue facilitating discussions, noting that both the U.S. and Russia’s diplomatic capabilities had been diminished in recent years. However, after the meeting, Russian officials indicated that little progress had been made, with both sides agreeing to “take each other’s interests into account,” but offering few specifics on potential solutions.

The talks also set the stage for a possible summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, although no date has been confirmed. Russian and U.S. officials have voiced differing perspectives on the outcome, with Moscow stressing the importance of addressing security issues in Europe as part of any settlement.

Notably, the meeting comes on the heels of Trump’s assertion that his 90-minute call with Putin was “highly productive,” and he expressed optimism about the potential for further discussions in Saudi Arabia. It marked the first publicly confirmed communication between the Russian president and a sitting US leader since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Trump’s decision to engage with Russia without Kyiv’s involvement has raised eyebrows in Europe, with some leaders voicing concern about the rapid pace of US-Russia talks. Critics have questioned the absence of Ukrainian representation, prompting clarifications from the US that these are exploratory discussions rather than formal negotiations aimed at resolving the war.

By Aghakazim Guliyev