The U.S. and Russia have commenced talks in Saudi Arabia. Stay tuned for all the latest updates on this developing story.
The delegations from the United States and Russia are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on February 18 to discuss the possibility of reaching an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. This meeting, following a phone call between the presidents, marks another step towards improving relations between the U.S. and Russia after three years of conflict in Ukraine.
According to Axios, which cites its own sources, "Telegraph" is monitoring the progress of the negotiations and will keep you updated on all significant developments.
The main negotiators from the U.S. side include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The Russian delegation is led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov, and the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev.
February 17
09:30 Russian media report that the diplomatic meeting in Riyadh has commenced.
09:00 Preparations for the meeting between the American and Russian delegations are already in full swing in Saudi Arabia.
07:00 Trump supporter and businessman Elon Musk is once again playing into the Kremlin's hands. On his social media platform X, he commented on the arrival of the Russian delegation led by Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh. It is known that bilateral negotiations with U.S. representatives regarding the end of the war in Ukraine are to take place there.
"This is what competent leadership looks like," Musk wrote.
February 17
20:59 The Russian delegation has already arrived in Saudi Arabia for negotiations with the U.S.: Sergey Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov disembarked from the plane, according to Russian media.
17:45 Ukraine and the UAE have signed an agreement on comprehensive economic partnership.
17:00 According to Zelensky, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant must be part of security guarantees.
"These are important conditions. The plant is currently not operational. It will not operate without us — that’s simply impossible. We will produce electricity for our consumers and sell it to Europe," the President of Ukraine stated during a visit to the UAE.
16:30 Yuri Ushakov, assistant to the head of Russia, stated that the negotiations in Riyadh will be bilateral between Russia and the U.S. The main topic to be raised is the agreement on how to start talks regarding Ukraine.
14:00 Ukraine was unaware of the negotiations in Saudi Arabia and will not recognize them — Zelensky.
12:00 The Russian delegation is flying to Riyadh for a meeting with the U.S. delegation tomorrow, as reported by Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov. The Russian delegation includes Lavrov and Ushakov.
Topics will include negotiations on Ukraine, organizing a meeting between Putin and Trump, and restoring the entire spectrum of Russian-American relations.
09:00 U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of possible negotiations with Russian officials aimed at ending nearly three years of Russia's war against Ukraine. This information comes from Reuters.
As reported by Axios, both delegations will include high-ranking officials closely associated with the leaders of their respective countries. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities are alarmed, disappointed, concerned, and outraged that the negotiations are effectively taking place "behind Kyiv's back," which reflects the sentiments of the U.S. European allies. The U.S. delegation will consist of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Ambassador to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. From the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov may attend, along with several other figures from Putin's inner circle. Earlier reports indicated that the General Director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev might represent Russia.
As noted by "Telegraph", Saudi Arabia is ready to host the U.S. and Russian delegations for talks on ending the Russian-Ukrainian war. There have also been reports that the aim of the negotiations is to organize a summit involving Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Vladimir Zelensky. On February 16, Trump stated that Zelensky would participate in the negotiations in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, President Zelensky has repeatedly denied his participation in such a format. It is known that after the conclusion of the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky traveled to the UAE for a visit. While there, the president will discuss efforts to return more Ukrainians from Russian captivity, economic and investment matters, and several other issues. However, Saudi Arabia is not far from the UAE.