U.S. and Russia hold crucial talks to resolve Ukraine conflic
In an unprecedented meeting, senior officials from the United States and Russia convened on Tuesday at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh to discuss improving bilateral relations and negotiating a solution to end the war in Ukraine.
The delegations are headed by the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, marking the first direct official meeting between the two sides after three years of conflict, according to AP.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Ukraine's exclusion from the talks, stating that Ukraine will not accept any decision made without its participation.
Washington's approach has raised concerns among European allies, prompting France to convene an emergency meeting with EU and UK officials to decide on a coordinated response.
According to Russian media, Moscow seeks "real normalization" of relations with Washington, while U.S. officials view the meeting as a step towards a diplomatic solution. Among the topics discussed were economic issues, with Russia also represented by Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
Translation by Tataru Iurie
