US and Russia to Appoint Negotiation Teams to Pursue Resolution on Ukraine Conflict

Washington and Moscow have agreed to form teams to negotiate a path to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. The decision came after high-level talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, which marked the first direct engagement between the two nations since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

However, no specific details regarding a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged from the gathering in Riyadh, sparking concerns in Europe over the future direction of US policy towards Russia. European leaders, alarmed by Trump's shift in approach, fear Washington may make significant concessions to Moscow at the cost of Europe’s security framework, potentially reminiscent of Cold War-era deals.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to establish respective teams focused on working toward a resolution of the conflict, as confirmed by the US State Department. These teams are tasked with initiating talks aimed at bringing an end to the war as soon as possible. In addition, both sides agreed to create a consultation mechanism to address issues in the US-Russia relationship.

While Russia offered few details on the discussions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that the two sides had outlined their positions and agreed to continue discussions via dedicated negotiating teams.

Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, noted that pinpointing a date for a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders was still uncertain. He suggested that the talks were still in the early stages, with discussions centered around how to initiate negotiations regarding Ukraine.

Russia, which has long demanded a restructuring of European defense agreements and the withdrawal of NATO forces from Eastern Europe, insists that a viable resolution to the war would require addressing the continent’s security concerns. Moscow's stance includes the notion that NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe poses an existential threat to Russia.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was in Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, expressed discontent at being excluded from the negotiations. He reiterated that Ukraine would not recognize any agreements made about the country’s future without its participation.

Despite the complexities, Russia hopes that the meeting in Riyadh could mark the start of a gradual thaw in relations with the United States. Both sides downplayed expectations for an immediate breakthrough, with Russia's Ushakov stating the talks were focused on how to begin negotiations.

Trump has expressed a desire to end the conflict, but has yet to propose a concrete peace plan. The US has indicated that both sides would need to make concessions for peace talks to progress. However, Moscow remains adamant that it will not entertain any discussions about ceding the territory it has seized from Ukraine.

As the negotiations continue, the EU has emphasized its desire to partner with the US in achieving a lasting peace. However, it remains unclear if the European Union will have a formal role in the peace talks, with Moscow indicating that it sees no purpose in having Europe involved in the discussions.

China, a key ally of Russia, welcomed the peace efforts, urging all parties to participate in the dialogue. As talks progress, cautious optimism prevails in Moscow, though the road to peace remains uncertain.