WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US, Russian officials propose peace plan, lay 'groundwork for cooperation' in Riyadh

U.S. and Russian officials held diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia without any Ukrainian officials present on Tuesday.

The groups, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are seeking terms for a peace agreement in Ukraine as well as negotiating a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. They have proposed a framework that could involve a ceasefire, elections in Ukraine followed by the signing of a peace agreement.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce also confirmed that Rubio's team agreed to "lay the groundwork for cooperation" with Russia on various issues in addition to Ukraine. They also agreed to appoint "high-level teams" to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Reports from multiple foreign diplomatic sources say forcing Ukraine to hold new elections could be a key part of a peace deal. Both the U.S. and Russia believe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a low chance of winning re-election, the sources say.

"Putin assesses the probability of electing a puppet president as quite high and is also convinced that any candidate other than the current President of Ukraine will be more flexible and ready for negotiations and concessions," the diplomatic sources said in a readout of the meeting.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., who chairs the House Ukraine caucus, rejected the idea of forced elections in Ukraine on social media.

Zelenskyy has said his country would never accept peace terms negotiated by the U.S. and Russia without Ukrainian involvement. Trump has vowed that Ukraine will be involved in the larger process. Zelenskyy cut short his trip in the Middle East following news of Tuesday's meeting. He was scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, but he will instead return to Kyiv.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff emphasized on Sunday that the ongoing meeting in Riyadh is more about "trust building" than getting into the details of an actual peace agreement.

Zelenskyy urged Trump not to trust Putin in a phone call last week.

"I said that [Putin] is a liar," Zelenskyy said of the call. "And he said, 'I think my feeling is that he's ready for these negotiations.' And I said to him, 'No, he's a liar. He doesn't want any peace.'" 

The Ukrainian leader nevertheless said he believes Putin is a "little bit scared" of Trump.

Also excluded from Tuesday's talks are any European representatives, a notable absence given the stern rebuke of European allies delivered by Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference last week.

Some European allies are taking the cue, with U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer announcing that he is willing to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to ensure its security as part of a peace deal.

"I do not say that lightly," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. "I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm's way."

"But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine's security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country," he added.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia and US agree on Ukraine peace talks – Lavrov

Russia and the US have agreed to establish a framework for ending the Ukraine conflict in the near future, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced.

Top Russian and US diplomats met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to explore ways to restore diplomatic ties, lay the groundwork for a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, and advance efforts toward resolving the Ukraine conflict.

Lavrov led the Russian delegation, which also included Yury Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy aide. Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), also took part in the negotiation process. The American side was represented by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, and Steve Witkoff, Washington’s special envoy for the Middle East.

Neither Ukraine nor the EU participated in the meeting, with Kiev stating it would not recognize the outcome of the talks unless it was involved.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the meeting in Riyadh, Lavrov stated that as part of the agreement to initiate the Ukraine conflict settlement process, Russia will appoint its representative once it receives confirmation of Washington’s designated negotiator.

“I believe the discussions were highly productive,” Lavrov said, adding, “Not only did we listen, but we genuinely heard each other.”

He further stated that he had reason to believe the American side “now has a clearer understanding of Russia’s position,” as it had been “thoroughly detailed” using specific examples drawn from President Putin’s numerous statements.

Lavrov pointed out that the meeting in Riyadh was initiated by the Russian and US presidents, who had agreed that preparations for the next summit should be started. To achieve this, foreign ministers and national security advisers were tasked with meeting and determining what needed to be worked out before the two presidents “can negotiate specific dates and timelines for the summit.”

Moscow and Washington have agreed that “when national interests coincide, efforts must be united and implemented” in relevant areas through “mutually beneficial projects” in both geopolitical and economic spheres, according to Lavrov. However, when interests do not align, the sides should not provoke a conflict but rather work to resolve issues, he added.

Lavrov also touched on the issue of the US engagement with the EU concerning security guarantees and the potential deployment of a contingent force in Ukraine.

“We explained to our counterparts that President Putin has repeatedly emphasized that NATO expansion and the absorption of Ukraine into the military bloc pose a direct threat to Russia’s interests and sovereignty,” he stressed.

Moscow made it clear that it considers any NATO-linked military presence – whether under the EU flag or as part of national contingents – completely unacceptable, according to Lavrov.

The Russian foreign minister added that the sides “practically agreed that the issue of diplomatic missions must be resolved once and for all.” He noted that this includes addressing the sanctions imposed in recent years, the expulsion of diplomats, the seizure of diplomatic properties, and other obstacles that have complicated work.

“Our deputies will soon meet to discuss the removal of these artificial barriers and ensure the smooth functioning of embassies and consulates in both countries,” Lavrov stated.

Fox NewsRT