U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Riyadh for a series of meetings, including crucial talks with Russian diplomats on Tuesday aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is in the region for state visits, has made it clear that Ukraine will not participate in the negotiations as it was not informed. Speaking in the UAE, Zelensky insisted that Ukraine would not recognize any peace deal made without its involvement.
Secretary Rubio met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh, and high-level talks with Russian officials are set to take place. These talks are the first in-person negotiations between U.S. and Russian officials in years, with an eventual summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to follow.
Rubio stated, “The peace process is not about a single meeting,” highlighting the importance of sustained dialogue. The Kremlin, in its turn, confirmed that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy advisor would travel to Saudi Arabia for the talks, focusing on preparing for potential negotiations.
