In preparation for the peace talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war, top diplomats from Washington and Moscow have met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, officials from the two superpowers set the stage for the context and substance of the upcoming peace summit, laying out goals, conditions and concessions.
Ukrainian ruler Vladimir Zelensky will not accept any peace plan however, instead appearing to side with plans to continue his war with figures like Keir Starmer of the U.K.
“Ukrainian president says he won’t recognize any agreements about the war reached without his country,” The Wall Street Journal said Monday.
Perhaps in response to Zelensky’s reluctance to peace, Putin announced that he is now ready to speak with the Ukrainian ruler.
Trump had previously directed Zelensky to enter peace negotiations with Russia, however the Ukrainian ruler just complained to talkshow host Piers Morgan about how he wanted nuclear weapons.
EMP Task Force scholar and former Pentagon officer David Pyne told Sputnik that Trump may exit NATO should Europe derail the peace plans.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (who has welcomed these negotiations) along with Putin’s top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov and the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev represented Moscow during Tuesday’s meeting.
Negotiations on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, between the U.S. Delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Russian Delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, have begun at the Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, mediated by Saudi Officials. Notably absent… pic.twitter.com/1wFVy7Xctj
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 18, 2025
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (who has called for ending the war via negotiations), Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff represented Washington at Tuesday’s meeting.
Key goals, conditions and concessions include Russia’s mandate that Ukraine does not join NATO, however Ukraine joining the E.U. is acceptable to Moscow. Russia says the E.U. does not have a role in these debates though. The E.U. themselves are seeking a peace deal before the killing can stop with a ceasefire, keeping the battle raging until the bitter end. The E.U. is also mulling sending captured Russian financial assets to Ukraine.
Russia Just Offered A HUGE Concession To The WEST. https://t.co/iX5PWhecLP pic.twitter.com/R3zsW5mFXL
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) February 18, 2025
“We not only listened, but heard each other. I have a reason to believe that the American side now better understands our position,” Lavrov said, describing the meeting as “very useful.”
The usefulness of this meeting is likely compounded by the fact that former President Joe Biden never spoke to the Russians while nearly starting a nuclear war.
The Biden regime was proud of the fact that for over three years, they never talked to the Russians, all while a war with a high potential to go nuclear raged. The peace talks between the United States and Russia happening now is another example of sanity re-entering the room. https://t.co/zolowyYfXg
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) February 18, 2025
Waltz said that he is seeking a permanent settlement to the conflict, recognizing that territorial disputes between Russia and Ukraine will be a hot topic.
“We know, just the practical reality: There is going to be some discussion of territory… and security guarantees,” he told reporters. “The important thing is that we have started this process.”
Regarding Russia’s conditions laid out at Tuesday’s meeting, they appear to be what Trump has already approved a week prior.
Trump had said that he is okay with keeping Ukraine out of NATO and also said that it is ‘unlikely’ Kiev would regain all of the territory it has lost to Russia over the past decade.
While Russia and the U.S. work out their peace negotiation plan, Starmer mulls sending U.K. soldiers into Ukraine to fight Russia directly. This plan coincides with the principles of Zelensky’s ‘victory plan’.
