Talks in Saudi Arabia: USA get Russia out of isolation – Rubio meets Lawrow

Only the phone call of US President Donald Trump with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, now a meeting of Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and Sergei Lawrow in Saudi Arabian Riad: The signs between Washington and Moscow are approaching. After years of ice age since the beginning of the Ukraine War, the US government has been in the process of getting Russia out of isolation.

Rubio and Lawrow agreed in the talks in Riad that both governments will name negotiators for future peace talks on Ukraine. From Washington it was said that the goal was a solution that was permanently, stable and acceptable for all sides.

But one main actor was missing: Ukraine was out of the outside at the conversations in Riad – as well as its European allies. The US State Department emphasized that a single phone call and a first meeting were not enough to end the war. However, the fact that the Americans are single -handedly and without consulting Kiev and the Europeans in such conversations is remarkable and shows the importance of the USA multilateral coordination.

Agreements also in the bilateral area

Washington and Moscow also agreed in Riad, according to US information, to take measures to normalize the operation of their diplomatic representations. The mutual instructions of diplomats have significantly restricted the work ability of the messages in recent years.

The US Ministry also explained that the basis for future cooperation in geopolitical and economic issues is now being placed. However, these perspectives would only be realized if the Ukraine War was successfully completed.

Take care in Kyiv and with allies

After the meeting between the Americans and Russians, the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj postponed a planned visit to Saudi Arabia. He had originally intended to immediately travel from Turkey to the Gulf State. “You can discuss what you want, but no decisions can be made without Ukraine how the war in Ukraine can be ended,” warned Selenskyj.

The Ukrainian had already emphasized that a peace process should not take place without its country and Europe. But it is precisely this concern that is now in the room: that Trump and Putin could push Ukraine into concessions – and that the attacked country and Europe ultimately have to wear the main burden of a possible ceasefire.

The day before, several European heads of state and government had advised President Emmanuel Macron in Paris at a crisis summit on how to react to Trump’s changed course. It was also about the controversial question of whether European troops should be sent to secure a possible peace agreement in Ukraine. Because the new US government has already indicated that American soldiers are not available for this. Russia completely rejects troops from NATO countries in Ukraine and warns of a new escalation.

Trump takes place in Russia

In recent years, relationships between the United States and Russia have been at a low point because of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine. Encounters between the then US Secretary of State Antony Blinking and Sergei Lavrow only took place sporadically and mostly on the edge of international peaks such as the G20. Trump initiated a change of course about a month ago with his office around a month ago.

Already in the election campaign, the Republican had repeatedly raved about his good contacts with Putin and claimed to be able to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours. Last week, Trump talked to the Russian president – and only then with Selenskyj. Trump not only agreed with Putin the start of peace negotiations, but also promised a later personal meeting. At first, Lavrow and Rubio did not agree on an appointment.

Preduction predecessor Joe Biden last spoke to Putin with Putin in February 2022 before the start of the Russian attack war. Trump is now making the U -turn: he wants to bring Russia back on the international stage. Shortly before the talks in Riad, he had spoken out for a return of Russia to the group of leading Western economic nations (G7) and described Moscow’s exclusion in 2014 as “error”.

So far only gen Kyiv

While the US government opens diplomatic channels at Moscow, it remains unclear to what extent it is still behind the previous strategic goals in Ukraine. US defense minister Pete Hegseth made it clear last week in Brussels that Europeans were largely solely responsible for the support of Ukraine and securing a possible peace.

He also put several potential concessions from Kiev on the table as the basis for an agreement:

A NATO membership of Ukraine is not a realistic result of a negotiating solution. Washington will not send their own troops and also do not provide a military contribution to NATO. A return to the Ukrainian borders before 2014 is not realistic.

But just a day later, Hegseth rowed back. Trump has the negotiations and has the last word, he made it clear.

It is obvious: US support for Ukraine will no longer be based solely on western values, but on tangible interests. Trump wants a “deal” – and it should pay off for the USA. Kyiv should be recognizable for American help with rare earths and other valuable minor treasures. On the other hand, he has opened what specific claims Trump makes to Putin – so far the US President has given questions.

Kremlin wants to negotiate – and provides conditions

According to Kremlin, Putin is open to discussions with Ukraine-but not without conditions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow said that the Russian president had repeatedly emphasized his willingness to negotiate. At the same time, Moscow, however, questioned Selenskyj’s legitimacy. Russia argues that its term of office had expired in May last year and that new elections would be necessary in Ukraine. Kyiv, on the other hand, emphasizes that Selenskyj’s powers of powers are still in force through the applicable law.

After almost three years of war, Russia is celebrating the return to the world stage with this four and a half hour meeting with the US delegation. “I think the conversation was very useful,” said Lawrow at a press conference in Riad. Both sides have listened to each other and agreed to create the conditions in order to resume full cooperation between the two countries and also expand it.

Accordingly, the talks also dealt with economic and trade issues, including in the area of ​​energy. Hope in Moscow, after years under the pressure of the western sanctions, is great that it is going up again economically. The Russian currency Rubel had a strong jump after the meeting and gained a lot of value compared to the dollar and euro.