In a recent development, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the end of February, aiming to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
This announcement coincides with peace negotiations currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, notably excluding Ukrainian representatives.
During a press briefing, President Trump stated, “President Putin wants to meet. He has said that even publicly, and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess.”
He further suggested that the meeting could take place in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the nation’s emerging role in facilitating dialogue between the U.S. and Russia.
The Riyadh negotiations have sparked controversy due to the absence of Ukrainian officials and European leaders. President Trump has expressed support for deploying European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine but has ruled out the involvement of U.S. troops.
This stance has led to criticism from European allies and discussions about the future of transatlantic relations.
In a related development, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have agreed to work towards ending the war in Ukraine and improving bilateral relations.
Their plans include restoring embassy staff, supporting peace talks with a high-level team, and exploring closer economic cooperation. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies have expressed concerns about being excluded from these negotiations.
As the situation evolves, the international community remains attentive to the outcomes of these discussions and their potential impact on the conflict in Ukraine.
Source; Al-jazeera
