Senior officials from the United States and Russia convened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations, potential solutions for ending the war in Ukraine, and the groundwork for a possible summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Footage from the meeting showed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff seated across from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and top Putin adviser Yury Ushakov.
Prior to the talks, Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev was also seen as part of the Russian delegation. Dmitriev, who has previously engaged in backchannel communications with U.S. officials during both of Trump’s presidential terms, described the current U.S. administration as “swift, efficient, and very successful” in an interview.
Following the meeting, Dmitriev expressed optimism, stating that progress in U.S.-Russia negotiations could be seen within two to three months. “We have presented a series of proposals, which our counterparts are now considering. I believe there could be movement toward progress in the near future,” he stated.
Reports indicate that Moscow’s key objectives in these talks include easing Western sanctions, though Dmitriev insisted that sanctions relief was not part of the official agenda. The Kremlin previously stated that discussions would focus on restoring “full-scale” U.S.-Russia relations, with Ushakov confirming that negotiations on Ukraine would also be addressed.
Despite the dialogue, both Washington and Moscow have downplayed expectations for a breakthrough. Trump has pushed for a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict, while Russia views his diplomatic outreach as an opportunity to secure concessions. However, Lavrov ruled out any territorial compromises from Russia as part of ceasefire negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv was not invited to the discussions in Saudi Arabia. He emphasized in a social media post that any potential peace agreement must include “robust and reliable” security guarantees for Ukraine.
European leaders, meanwhile, have voiced concerns that Trump’s negotiations with Russia could bypass both Kyiv and the European Union. A group of EU leaders held an emergency meeting in Paris on Monday to strategize their response to Washington’s direct engagement with the Kremlin.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun acknowledged the diplomatic efforts, stating that China welcomes “all initiatives aimed at achieving peace in Ukraine.” However, he stressed that “all relevant stakeholders should be included in the discussions.”
