US and Russian delegations begin negotiations in Saudi Arabia – Russian media outlets report, video
Pravda Ukraine
Negotiations between US and Russian delegations have begun in Saudi Arabia. Russian media outlets reported that the parties will discuss economic cooperation and “the issue of the Ukrainian settlement”.
Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS
Quote from RIA Novosti: “The meeting is expected to focus primarily on the restoration of Russian-American relations. In addition, the issue of the Ukrainian settlement will be raised during the negotiations.”
Details: TASS adds that one of the key topics of the talks is “reunification in a number of economic areas”.
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Ambassador to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as well as Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Saudi National Security Advisor Musaed Bin Mohammed al-Aiban are participating in the talks.
The Russian side is represented by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy advisor.
Previously:
- It was reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on 17 February to hold talks between the US and Russian delegations on the settlement of the war in Ukraine.
- According to Axios, the meeting between Russian and US representatives will take place on 18 February.
- On 16 February, Andrii Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that no meetings with Russians were planned until a plan to end the war was developed.
- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was not aware of the meeting in Saudi Arabia and expressed concern that the plan for the meeting was developed outside of Kyiv’s control.
Background:
- Bloomberg previously reported that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is assembling a team of heavyweights with decades of experience in high-level negotiations to interact with representatives of the US president, who is seeking to broker a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
- On 17 February, Russian propaganda media outlets quoted Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Presidential Aide Yurii Ushakov would be travelling to Saudi Arabia to meet with US representatives.
- A member of the Russian delegation, Kirill Dmitriev, stated he had already met with representatives of US President Donald Trump’s team in Saudi Arabia.
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