High-level diplomatic discussions between the United States and Russia wrapped up on Tuesday evening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the ongoing war in Ukraine being the primary topic. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the global media following the lengthy negotiations.

Secretary Rubio characterized the meeting as a significant, albeit initial, step toward resolving the Ukraine conflict. He emphasized that the ultimate objective is a settlement acceptable to all parties, including Ukraine, European allies, and Russia. Rubio underlined former President Donald Trump's desire for a swift resolution and urged all sides to act promptly to end the prolonged war.

The US delegation featured National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff. They revealed that both countries would assign dedicated teams to work on a negotiated settlement aimed at concluding hostilities in Ukraine. Russia currently maintains control over approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

The American representatives also noted that the dialogue covered the strained US-Russia relations, which deteriorated during the Biden administration. However, they clarified that no date had been set for a potential summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov described the four-hour meeting as serious and comprehensive but refrained from disclosing specific demands from Moscow.

During a briefing in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova indicated that Russia had toughened its stance. She asserted that it was insufficient for NATO to merely withhold membership from Ukraine. She demanded that NATO formally revoke its 2008 Bucharest Summit commitment, which left the door open for Ukraine to join the alliance in the future. Zakharova warned that failing to address this issue would continue to undermine stability in Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently maintained that NATO membership is essential for safeguarding Ukraine's sovereignty. Expressing frustration over being excluded from the Riyadh talks, Zelensky remarked that no agreement concerning Ukraine could be legitimate without Kyiv's involvement.

Following the conclusion of the discussions, Lavrov stated that the United States had gained a clearer understanding of Russia's perspective. He described the exchange as constructive, emphasizing that Moscow had conveyed its firm opposition to any deployment of NATO or European Union troops to Ukraine, even under a ceasefire arrangement. Lavrov stressed that such actions would be unacceptable to Russia.

Lavrov further noted that the US had signaled a potential review of the economic sanctions imposed on Russia. He suggested that there was mutual interest in easing these restrictions to foster bilateral economic cooperation.

Despite the progress reported, concerns persist among European nations and NATO allies. They fear that the Trump administration may prioritize reaching a deal with Moscow at the expense of European security interests, potentially emboldening Russia after its military actions in Ukraine.