The State Department described the Saudi Arabia talks as a crucial step towards resolving the Ukraine conflict.
The US State Department lauded Tuesday’s high-level US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia as substantial progress toward ending the Ukraine conflict.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior Trump administration officials met with their Russian counterparts. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce conveyed Washington’s positive assessment and goals following the Riyadh meeting.
“A single phone call followed by a single meeting isn’t enough for lasting peace. We need action, and today we took a significant step,” a statement explained, referencing Trump’s recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The statement indicated that Moscow and Washington will pursue further confidence-building measures to address “issues harming our bilateral relationship,” including normalizing diplomatic missions.
High-level teams will work towards a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict, while also preparing for “future collaboration on shared geopolitical interests.” The Trump administration anticipates “substantial economic and investment opportunities” from a successful conflict resolution, with officials committed to a “timely and productive” approach.
Besides Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff represented the US. The Russian delegation included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, presidential foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov, and Kirill Dmitriev, RDIF CEO. Both sides expressed optimism that the talks will lead to a Trump-Putin meeting. Russian officials described the discussions as “largely positive.”
Moscow and Washington reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict after years of tension and conflict.
Russia emphasized a comprehensive resolution addressing the conflict’s root causes, including NATO expansion since the 1990s. It also stated that any solution must involve Ukraine’s neutrality and recognition of “current realities.”