US-Russia Talks in Riyadh Exclude Ukraine, Spark Controversy

In a significant diplomatic development, high-level talks between the United States and Russia commenced on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. Despite Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) efforts to include Ukraine in the discussions, both the US and Russia declined the proposal.

The talks followed a telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12, marking a rare direct engagement between the two leaders. The meeting, which lasted approximately four and a half hours, included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.

According to Bloomberg, MBS had intended to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the progress made during the talks. However, Zelenskyy, who was scheduled to visit Riyadh on Wednesday, postponed his trip in protest of Ukraine’s exclusion from the meeting.

Zelenskyy expressed his frustration, stating, “Decisions about ending the war in Ukraine cannot be made without Ukraine’s involvement, nor can any conditions be imposed on us.” He added that the exclusion of Ukraine and European countries from the talks was surprising and unacceptable.

The exclusion has also drawn criticism from European nations, with several expressing their discontent over not being included in the discussions. US Secretary of State Rubio, however, asserted that no one was being sidelined and that progress updates were shared with European allies, including France, Germany, the UK, and Italy.

Following the talks, the US and Russia agreed to:

Establish a consultation mechanism to address irritants to their bilateral relationship with the objective of taking steps necessary to normalize the operation of their respective diplomatic missions.
Appoint respective high-level teams to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides.
Lay the groundwork for future cooperation on matters of mutual geopolitical interest and historic economic and investment opportunities which will emerge from a successful end to the conflict in Ukraine.

The parties to the meeting pledged to remain engaged to ensure the process moves forward in a timely and productive manner.

The controversy comes amid heightened tensions and ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has seen significant international involvement and support for Ukraine from European countries. The outcome of the US-Russia talks and their impact on the broader geopolitical landscape remain to be seen.

(With inputs from agencies)