US-Russia negotiations over Ukraine's fate entered uncharted territory Tuesday as both powers held closed-door talks in Riyadh without Ukrainian representation. The diplomatic gamble – the first senior-level engagement since Russia’s 2022 invasion – has drawn sharp criticism from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who vowed
Ukraine will not recognize agreements made behind closed doorsduring a regional security tour.
The high-stakes meeting follows last week's Trump-Putin call and sees Secretary of State Marco Rubio facing Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. While Moscow frames discussions as restoring US-Russia relations, Washington maintains a narrower focus on resolving the Ukraine conflict. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz claims full consultationwith Kyiv despite their exclusion from negotiations.
European leaders scrambled to coordinate responses, with French President Emmanuel Macron hosting crisis talks in Paris. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer cautioned Any peace deal must prevent Russian rearmament pauses, signaling openness to deploying peacekeepers post-agreement. Sweden aligned with this stance, complicating Moscow's strategic calculus.
Key tensions emerging include:
- Disputed NATO membership prospects for Ukraine
- European security restructuring proposals
- Territorial red lines following Crimea annexation
As Zelenskyy presses Saudi officials for transparency, analysts warn the Riyadh talks risk legitimizing Russia's wartime diplomacy. With Macron urging EU nations to rethink collective defense,the negotiations could reshape global power dynamics regardless of immediate outcomes.
The Trump administration's softened stance on pre-2014 Ukrainian borders adds pressure on Kyiv. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently dismissed restoring Crimea as unrealistic,aligning with Moscow's territorial claims. This strategic shift leaves Zelenskyy increasingly reliant on European security guarantees – now under scrutiny as US priorities diverge.