On the 18th (local time), the United States and Russia held a ministerial meeting in Saudi Arabia to seek ways to end the nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine. The two countries agreed to form a high-level negotiation team to continue discussions in the future. In particular, both countries made it clear that they aim to restore bilateral relations by normalizing the operation of diplomatic missions.
The foreign ministers of both countries, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, noted after the meeting that they agreed to quickly form high-level negotiation teams to work toward ending the Ukraine conflict.
However, there were no specific mentions regarding key issues in the peace negotiations, including the recognition of occupied territories and Ukraine's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership. Analysts suggest that this meeting was more exploratory rather than a venue for outlining key issues of the peace proposal.
However, the decision to quickly assemble high-level negotiation teams instead of a working-level coordination process suggests a positive atmosphere during the meeting. If the two countries had not agreed on the general direction of the peace discussions, it would have been difficult to announce the formation of high-level negotiation teams.
The U.S. State Department also briefed on the meeting's content using the term 'conflict' instead of 'war,' indicating a gesture of goodwill.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated after the meeting that 'the United States has come to better understand Russia's position.'
The fact that the two countries concluded their first meeting without revealing major conflicts is also evident in the announcement regarding the restoration of bilateral relations. The ministers noted that the ability to operate diplomatic missions has deteriorated amid tensions over the Ukraine war and agreed to restore the number of embassy staff and dispatch ambassadors.
In addition, the ministers stated, 'They agreed to lay the foundation for future cooperation regarding the historical economic and investment opportunities and mutual geopolitical interests that would arise from ending the conflict.'
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said, 'As you can see, President Trump has decided to move very quickly.'
However, Ukraine's absence from the meeting is a limitation and a source of controversy. Not only Ukraine but also various European countries are igniting the so-called 'passing controversy,' expressing opposition to the one-sided nature of the peace discussions led by the U.S. and Russia.
The U.S. side indicated that it would keep the door open for Ukraine and European countries to participate and present their opinions in future peace negotiations. Minister Rubio stated after the meeting, 'No one should be excluded (from the talks),' and emphasized that 'ending the conflict must be acceptable to all stakeholders, including Ukraine, Europe, and Russia.'
He added, 'Concessions from all parties are necessary. There are other parties that have imposed sanctions (on Russia),' and mentioned, 'Since the European Union (EU) is also sanctioning Russia, it must come to the negotiating table at some point.'