US and Russia Move Towards Normalizing Diplomatic Relations Amid Ukraine Conflict

In a significant diplomatic development, delegations from the United States and Russia concluded their discussions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after four and a half hours of talks. According to statements from the US State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have agreed to establish high-level teams to expedite efforts toward resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and to enhance economic collaboration. Furthermore, Rubio announced that both nations would work towards resuming regular operations at their embassies in each other's countries.

Reports from Russian sources echoed the sentiment of success from the discussions. Yuri Ushakov, a senior advisor to the Russian President, indicated that a comprehensive dialogue was held on various topics. However, he noted that it remained uncertain whether there was a convergence of views between the two nations. Ushakov also deemed it premature to discuss a potential summit between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, stating that discussions concerning the Ukraine conflict would be addressed in due course. He emphasized that the fundamental positions of both parties were communicated and agreed upon, with separate negotiation teams set to engage on these issues when appropriate.

Prior to the meeting, US and Russian officials gathered in Riyadh, primarily focusing on the war in Ukraine and prospects for peace talks. The US delegation included Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, while Lavrov was accompanied by Ushakov and other senior Russian officials.

Notably, representatives from the Ukrainian government and European nations were not invited to these discussions. This marks the first engagement of its kind since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for President Putin, had articulated before the meeting that the priority would be the restoration of US-Russian relations alongside potential negotiations regarding Ukraine.

According to CNN, the US delegation's objective was not to initiate formal negotiations but rather to assess the sincerity of Russia's intentions regarding peace efforts in the Ukraine conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the talks as unproductive, asserting that without Ukrainian representatives at the negotiation table, meaningful outcomes were unlikely. Similarly, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged for a united approach between Europe and the United States to achieve a fair and lasting peace for Ukraine.