Russian Foreign Minister to Meet with US Team in Riyadh
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, will travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with US President Donald Trump's team. The purpose of the meeting is to prepare for an upcoming meeting between the two leaders.
Last week, Trump held his first phone call with Putin since returning to office. Following the 90-minute conversation, Moscow and Washington announced that the two leaders would soon meet face to face. The summit will take place in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The talks between Lavrov, Ushakov, and the American delegation will focus on rebuilding bilateral ties, including upcoming talks on resolving the Ukraine crisis and the organization of the Putin-Trump summit.
Saudi Arabia was chosen as the location for the high-level talks because it "suits both the American and Russian sides," according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
It is not yet clear when or if the talks on ending the Ukraine conflict would take place. The possibility of holding such negotiations will be discussed on Tuesday between the Russian and American delegations.
Throughout his election campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to quickly resolve the Ukraine conflict should he return to office. While initially promising to end the fighting in "24 hours," Trump has since instructed his special envoy on Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, to find a solution within the first 100 days of his presidency.
According to a Bloomberg report on Sunday, Trump's administration is now pushing to establish a ceasefire in the conflict by April 20. Kellogg has also stated that a US peace plan could be unveiled in the near future.
Moscow, meanwhile, has stressed that it has never shied away from peace talks but has emphasized that it would not accept a temporary freeze of the hostilities and would stick to its demands of resolving the root issues of the conflict, including Ukraine's neutrality and demilitarization.
7 Comments
Marishka
This is a sign that Trump is taking his foreign policy seriously. I'm glad to see him taking the initiative to resolve important issues.
Pupsik
I'm confident that Trump can achieve a positive outcome in this meeting. He is a tough negotiator who won't be bullied by Putin.
Marishka
This meeting will legitimize Russia's aggression in Ukraine. We should be taking a tougher stance, not appeasing them.
Pupsik
This is a step in the right direction. It's important to keep the dialogue open with Russia, even when we disagree.
Marishka
Trump is the right man for this job. He has a strong relationship with Putin and can get things done.
Noir Black
This meeting is a testament to Trump's commitment to peace. I believe he can make a difference in the world.
Katchuka
Another pointless meeting with Russia while the Ukraine conflict remains unresolved. How many times are we going to fall for their diplomacy charades?