Russian officials make ultimatums on NATO, Ukraine as Saudi Arabia peace talks begin
U.S. and Russian officials recently engaged in peace talks in Saudi Arabia, with notable exclusions of Ukrainian and European representatives. The talks, which took place on Tuesday, saw Russian officials issuing ultimatums regarding Ukraine’s potential NATO membership. They demanded that NATO disavow promises made during a 2008 summit in Bucharest, emphasizing that Ukrainian membership in NATO is unacceptable.
The groups involved in the talks were led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Their main focus was on negotiating a peace agreement in Ukraine and potentially arranging a meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The discussions paused for a working lunch around 2 p.m. local time.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his opposition to peace terms being negotiated without Ukrainian involvement. Trump has assured that Ukraine will have a role in the overall process. The ongoing meeting in Riyadh was characterized by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff as more about building trust rather than delving into the specifics of a peace agreement.
Zelenskyy, in a recent phone call with Trump, warned against trusting Putin, labeling him as a liar and expressing doubts about his willingness for peace negotiations. Despite this, Zelenskyy believes that Putin is somewhat fearful of Trump.
European representatives were notably absent from the talks, following Vice President JD Vance’s criticism of European allies at the Munich Security Conference. However, some European allies, like U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer, have indicated a willingness to deploy British troops in Ukraine to ensure its security as part of a peace deal.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to be a focal point as peace talks progress. The exclusion of key players like Ukraine and Europe underscores the complex dynamics at play in the negotiations. As the talks evolve, it remains to be seen how various stakeholders will navigate the path towards a potential peace agreement in the region.
