US and Russia Agree to Explore End to Ukraine War

US and Russia Explore Economic Opportunities for Post-War Ukraine Amid Controversial Talks

US and Russian officials have agreed to explore potential “economic and investment opportunities” that could emerge from an end to the war in Ukraine following significant talks in Saudi Arabia. This development marks a major shift in Washington’s stance toward Moscow. However, the meeting raised concerns in Kyiv and across Europe, particularly over the possibility that former President Donald Trump might advocate for a peace deal that benefits Russian President Vladimir Putin. Notably, Ukrainian and European representatives were not involved in the discussions.

At his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump dismissed Ukrainian worries about being left out of the talks, suggesting that Ukraine itself should have ended the war much earlier. He controversially remarked, “Today I heard, ‘Oh, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it three years ago – you should have never started it. You could have made a deal.” US President Donald Trump voiced concerns over the lack of transparency regarding the spending of US military aid and refrained from expressing support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump boldly claimed, “I think I have the power to end this war,” hinting at his potential role in resolving the conflict. Following discussions at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, which marked the most extensive US-Russia talks in three years, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the creation of a high-level team aimed at supporting Ukraine peace talks and exploring “opportunities which will emerge from a successful end to the conflict in Ukraine.” The talks represented a significant departure from the Biden administration’s previous approach to isolating Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin's chief foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, were present at the meeting, alongside Rubio, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East.

Rubio emphasized that a resolution to the conflict must be acceptable to all parties involved, including Ukraine, Europe, and Russia. He added that Washington’s European allies had been consulted. However, Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief, warned Rubio on Twitter that Russia would attempt to sow division among Western nations. She urged cooperation between the US and the EU to secure a just and lasting peace on Ukraine’s terms. The talks in Saudi Arabia underscored the speed of US efforts to bring the conflict to an end, causing alarm in Kyiv and Europe. European officials are now discussing the possibility of sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, a proposal that Russia has vehemently rejected. Lavrov made it clear that any NATO troops in Ukraine, even under a different flag, would be unacceptable to Moscow, reiterating Russia’s longstanding objections to NATO expansion. Lavrov also dismissed a US proposal to halt attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, falsely claiming that Russia had never endangered Ukraine’s civilian energy system.

Russian officials, including Ushakov, later stated that the talks had gone well, and discussions about a potential summit between Putin and Trump were raised, though it seemed unlikely to happen soon. Ukrainian officials were notably absent from the discussions, prompting President Zelenskyy to reject any peace talks conducted “behind Ukraine’s back.” During a visit to Ankara, Zelenskyy made it clear that no decisions could be made without Kyiv’s involvement, and that he would always reject any ultimatums from Putin.

US and Russia Hold Landmark Talks in Riyadh to Explore End to Ukraine Conflict Amid Ongoing Tensions

The recent discussions in Riyadh represent the first high-level effort to negotiate an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine since early in the war, when talks broke down due to Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands. Despite the diplomatic flurry, details about former President Donald Trump's peace plan for Ukraine and Russia's willingness to engage remain unclear, with Tuesday's meeting providing few new insights. At the conclusion of the talks, both sides issued carefully crafted statements. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting “the first step of a long and difficult journey,” stressing that a resolution must be acceptable to all parties, including Ukraine, Europe, and Russia. US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz added that the goal should be a permanent end to the war, not a temporary ceasefire, highlighting key issues such as territorial discussions and security guarantees.

Russian officials, including Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, stated that both sides had begun listening to each other, though it was still too early to discuss potential compromises. Before the talks, Russia had expressed its intention to "normalize" relations with the US and lay the groundwork for a peace deal in Ukraine. The US, however, made significant concessions ahead of the meeting, suggesting that Ukraine may need to abandon its NATO aspirations and accept territorial losses. Though Putin has not publicly commented on the Saudi talks, he reportedly told Trump during a recent phone call that Russia wanted to "settle the reasons for the conflict," leading some analysts to believe Russia might be aiming to reshape European security more broadly, beyond Ukraine.

Moscow's demands are reminiscent of those made before its 2022 invasion, including Ukraine adopting a neutral status and NATO halting military deployments to member states that joined after 1997. This could have implications for countries like Poland and the Baltic states, which joined NATO after the end of the Cold War. Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, indicated new conditions for peace, demanding not only that Ukraine renounce NATO membership but also the annulment of the 2008 Bucharest summit declaration that promised Ukraine eventual membership. Putin has also previously called for Ukraine to drastically reduce its military forces, a proposal that many in Ukraine fear could leave the country vulnerable to future Russian attacks. In addition to the ongoing peace talks, Russia is likely to leverage discussions on a potential settlement to push for relief from Western sanctions, which have placed significant strain on its economy.

Dmitriev Leads Moscow's Economic Negotiations as US-Russia Talks Raise Tensions with Kyiv and Allies

Dmitriev, the 49-year-old head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a close associate of Putin's daughter, is spearheading Moscow's economic negotiations. A former investment banker, Dmitriev has been instrumental in Russia's outreach to international investors. In a brief interview before talks in Riyadh on Tuesday, Dmitriev suggested that US oil companies could return to Russia, stating, “US oil majors have done very well in Russia... We believe that at some point they will return – why would they pass up the opportunities Russia has provided for access to its natural resources?”

The Riyadh talks also provided Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a chance to assert themselves diplomatically on the world stage. Once criticized by President Biden over the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi leader has emerged as a key intermediary in discussions between Russia and the US. Meanwhile, the latest US diplomatic efforts have caused alarm in Kyiv and among key European allies, who fear that Washington and Moscow may proceed with a deal that excludes their interests. In response, France convened an emergency meeting of EU nations and the UK on Monday to coordinate a response.

French President Emmanuel Macron later announced that he had spoken to both Trump and Zelenskyy, stressing the need for a "strong and lasting peace in Ukraine." He added, “To achieve this, Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians,” according to a post on Despite these efforts, the security talks in Paris failed to yield any concrete measures, as European leaders struggled to present a unified position, particularly over the potential deployment of troops to Ukraine.

 

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