American and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia for discussions aimed at bringing an end to the war in Ukraine. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv was not invited, and European leaders will also be left out of the negotiations.
https://twitter.com/Megatron_ron/status/189110794197497892
Ukraine will not participate in the talks that the US and Russia will hold in the coming days in Saudi Arabia, because it is just an item on the agenda.
Ukraine must understand its irrelevance to world powers!— António Lopes (@AntnioL59095440) February 16, 2025
U.S. representatives at the meeting will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Russia’s delegation will include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other officials. Rubio and Lavrov spoke by phone in advance of the meeting to discuss preparations.
🇪🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🚨‼️ THE EU OPENLY SAYS THEY WILL SABOTAGE PEACE IN UKRAINE IF THEY’RE NOT AT THE TABLE.
Kallas: “if somebody agrees something and I mean, everybody else says ‘okay fine!’ you have agreed,but we will not follow this!”
-> EU’s position is “our importance” trumps any peace! pic.twitter.com/CMsYIpi6Q6
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) February 16, 2025
President Donald Trump has emphasized his commitment to resolving the war and recently spoke with both Putin and Zelensky separately. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul explained that the purpose of the upcoming discussions is to prepare for a possible summit between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky.
Trump’s envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, addressed criticism over the exclusion of European leaders by saying they should focus on providing real security solutions instead of complaining about not being included. At the same time, Washington has asked European nations for details on what security contributions they can offer Kyiv.
Vice President J.D. Vance met with Zelensky while traveling in Europe and described their discussion as productive. He emphasized that the administration remains committed to securing “a durable, lasting peace” for the region.
Russia continues to hold a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, and while Moscow demands that Ukraine cede land and adopt neutrality, Kyiv has called for the full return of occupied regions and security guarantees. Additionally, Washington and Ukraine are negotiating a deal on U.S. investment in Ukraine’s mineral resources, though Zelensky has expressed concerns about the details of the proposal.
