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U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh conclude

The negotiations between the U.S. and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, have concluded. That's according to The Guardian, Ukrinform reports. The meeting lasted over four hours, including a 15-minute break and "working lunch." Russia's chief foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said the talks "went well" and were a "serious conversation on all issues." He said that the two sides agreed for negotiators to talk about Ukraine. He added that the decision to begin contacts with U.S. on Ukraine ultimately would fall to Russian president Vladimir Putin. Ushakov also noted that the two sides briefly discussed the conditions needed for a Putin-Trump summit, although he noted it was unlikely to take place next week. "We are ready for this, but it is still difficult to talk about a specific date for the meeting of the two leaders," he said. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, in turn, stated that the U.S. and Russian delegations agreed "to establish a consultation mechanism to address irritants" in their bilateral relations. Both sides also agreed to appoint respective high-level teams to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible "in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides." Additionally, the sides agreed to "lay the groundwork for future cooperation on matters of mutual geopolitical interest and historic economic and investment opportunities which will emerge from a successful end to the conflict in Ukraine." "One phone call followed by one meeting is not sufficient to establish enduring peace," Bruce said. Earlier reports said that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a preliminary meeting ahead of the Riyadh negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine. Among the key U.S. officials present at the talks were National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Representing Russia were Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund -- both of whom played a behind-the-scenes role in a recent prisoner release deal with the U.S. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Putin fears direct talks with Ukraine, seeing them as a sign of weakness and defeat. On Monday, February 17, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not participate in nor recognize the outcome of the U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia. The post U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh conclude appeared first on Freedom.