High-ranking US and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to correct relations with the country and negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine.
According to the Associated Press, Ukrainian officials were not present at the meeting.
The talks came after Ukrainian President Voldimia Zelensky said he would not agree to suspend the battle if his country was not involved in peace talks.
President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone last week. Trump said it was a “long and productive” call with Putin, but Zelensky wasn't satisfied that his allies prioritized the call with Russia before Ukraine.
Russian officials have said the US is the “major counterpart” in peace talks and will stand by Ukraine, but recognizing the country would be involved “in some way.”
Secretary of State Marko Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other senior officials were present at the meeting on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.
It was hoped to focus on US-Russia relations and repair Trump-Putin relations. The consultation will also be a critical moment to assess how serious other countries are about coming to ceasefires for war and improving international relations.
Ukraine's absence from consultations raised concerns, and emergency meetings between the European Union and the UK were called on Monday to discuss the ongoing war, the AP noted.
Zelensky called on the European Union to nominate the envoy for peace negotiations, as the meeting between us and Russian officials was shocked by many. He recently raised the need for a unified European army.
Trump has announced that he intends to meet with Putin soon. Putin's foreign affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov showed on Tuesday that it is unlikely to take place this week and next week.
