Top US and Russian diplomats are meeting in Saudi Arabia today for talks on resetting their countries’ fractured relations and making a tentative start on trying to end the Ukraine war.
Both sides played down the chances that the first high-level meeting between the countries since US President Donald Trump took office would result in a breakthrough.
Still, the very fact the talks were taking place has triggered concern in Ukraine and Europe following the United States’ recent overtures towards the Kremlin.
Reporters in Riyadh said the meeting between US and Russian diplomats began in the morning at the Saudi capital’s Diriyah Palace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was not invited to the discussions in Riyadh. European leaders met in Paris yesterday for emergency talks on how to respond to the radical pivot by the new Trump administration.
Preparations for a possible summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are also expected to be on the agenda.
