U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh: Trump-Putin meeting uncertain
Bloomberg reports that early next week in Riyadh, a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump may occur. This is a result of U.S.-Russian negotiations in Saudi Arabia. However, Russian representative Yuri Ushakov believes this scenario is unlikely.
In Riyadh, the first round of talks between the U.S. and Russia took place regarding a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. The meeting was preliminary and aimed to verify Moscow's intentions. U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, emphasized that a breakthrough agreement should not be expected.
The war in Ukraine: What about the Trump-Putin meeting?
According to Bloomberg, arranging a meeting between the U.S. and Russian presidents is one of the first challenges of these negotiations. However, Yuri Ushakov, a representative of the Russian delegation, stated that such a meeting is unlikely.
The talks in the Saudi capital are part of broader diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Even though a meeting between Putin and Trump is uncertain, it remains an important element in the context of international efforts for peace.
During the talks in Riyadh, attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, both sides agreed to establish teams aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Both parties agreed to cooperate on economic and geopolitical issues. The European Union, though not present at the table, is to be included in future negotiations.
The meeting in Riyadh, while not producing breakthrough agreements, may prove to be an important step towards dialogue between Washington and Moscow. The U.S. wants to verify whether Russia is serious about ending the war. Ukraine, despite not being invited and concerns related to this, remains a key element in the negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that he will not recognize the results of the agreements without the participation of Kyiv's representatives.
