US and Russian officials held peace talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday without the presence of Ukrainian officials.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued several ultimatums as consultations began early Tuesday morning. Russian officials said NATO's Ukrainian membership is unacceptable, and they said that a simple denial by NATO to allow Ukraine to participate is not sufficient protection. Instead, Russian officials said NATO must deny Ukrainian membership promises in NATO in Bucharest in 2008.
The group led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, are calling for the terms of a peace deal in Ukraine, potentially with President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. We are negotiating a meeting.
The two groups broke for lunch at about 2pm local time.
Putin saw him as a “great competitor,” but he was still seen as an “enemy” as Ukrainian negotiations loomed, Levitt said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump, President Voldymir Zelensky (sputnik/alexei danichev/pool byReuters/Leah Millis/Alina Smutko)
Ukrainian President Voldymi Zelenkie said his country would never accept the terms of peace negotiated by the US and Russia without Ukraine's involvement. Trump has vowed that Ukraine will be involved in a larger process.
Trump envoy Steve Witkov on Sunday emphasized that the ongoing meeting in Riyadh is more about “building trust” than going into the details of the actual peace deal.
Zelensky urged Trump last week not to trust Putin over the phone.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Russian counterpart in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. (AP photo/Mark Sieferbein, pool)
“I said that [Putin] A liar, “Zelenskyy spoke about the phone. “And he said, 'I think my feelings are that he's ready for these negotiations.” And I said to him, “No, he's a liar. He doesn't want peace.”
Freed American hostage Mark Vogel lands on us years later in Russian captivity
Nevertheless, the Ukrainian leader said he believes Putin is “a little scary” for Trump.
Also excluded from Tuesday's consultations are European representatives and notable absences, given the harsh responsibilities of European allies held by Vice President JD Vance at last week's Munich Security Conference. .
The war in Ukraine continues to infuriate as fledgling peace negotiations take place in Saudi Arabia. (AP photo/libkos, files)
Some European allies have announced that British Prime Minister Kier Stage is willing to place British troops on the ground in Ukraine to ensure security as part of the peace agreement.
“I didn't lightly say that,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “I feel very deeply responsible for the potential harm to British servicemen and women.”
Click here to get the Fox News app
“However, the role that helps ensure the safety of Ukraine is helping to ensure the safety of our continent and the security of this country,” he added.
