U.S. and Russia to hold Ukraine war talks in Riyadh
Officials from the United States and Russia will meet on Tuesday, February 18, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. The information was first reported by Axios, citing sources close to the negotiations.
Who will attend the negotiations?
The U.S. delegation will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special representative for the Middle East. Witkoff stated on Fox News that he and Waltz will depart for Saudi Arabia on the evening of February 16, while Rubio will join them on February 17 after a visit to Israel, according to DW.
On the Russian side, the exact composition of the delegation has not been officially confirmed. However, sources cited by Axios and Bloomberg suggest that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Presidential Advisor Yuri Ushakov, and Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergey Naryshkin will participate in the talks. Additionally, the negotiations are being coordinated by Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, who has studied and worked in the U.S.
Will Ukraine participate?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on February 15 that Kyiv had not received an official invitation to the talks in Saudi Arabia. However, the following day, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff said that Ukraine should be included in the discussions.
In an interview with CBS, Marco Rubio emphasized that any “meaningful” negotiation must include Ukraine as well as European nations. Meanwhile, Zelensky is on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates. According to FlightAware, his aircraft departed from Munich on Sunday, made a stopover in Poland, and then arrived in Abu Dhabi, just a two-hour flight from Riyadh.
The upcoming meeting in Riyadh holds geopolitical significance, but its outcome remains uncertain as key stakeholders, particularly Ukraine, have yet to secure a seat at the table.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
