**Russia and US Hold Talks in Saudi Arabia**
Representatives from Russia and the United States met in Saudi Arabia on February 18 to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. The talks were described as “not bad” by Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The meeting was a first official face-to-face contact between the two sides since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. A US delegation led by State Secretary Marco Rubio met with a Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
**Mixed Messages**
US officials said the talks were “an important step forward,” but also warned that one meeting is not enough to establish enduring peace. The Russians, on the other hand, said that the two sides’ interests are converging, but it’s hard to say if they will agree on everything.
A potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Putin was discussed, but it’s unlikely to happen next week as previously speculated. However, Trump is determined to move quickly on talks over a peace deal in Ukraine.
**Next Steps**
Separate teams of negotiators from the United States and Russia will start communicating on Ukraine soon. The participants also decided to restore embassy staffing for further diplomatic missions.
Russia and the US held separate talks on economic cooperation, including on global energy prices. However, the recent meeting has “rejected” the logic of talks under the Joe Biden administration, according to Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev.
**Ukraine’s President to Visit Saudi Arabia**
Despite not being involved in the latest talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will head to Saudi Arabia this week. The US plans to host a bilateral meeting with Russia followed by a meeting with Ukraine and culminating in talks together.
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