U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Ukraine and Europe will be integral to any serious negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite initial U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Rubio reassured that while preliminary discussions are underway, full peace talks will include Ukrainian and European representatives. U.S. officials also asked European counterparts about potential troop contributions for enforcing a peace deal.
President Trump, after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressed optimism about ending the conflict while protecting Ukrainian sovereignty. However, Rubio stressed that true peace requires concrete actions, not just phone calls. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and national security adviser Mike Waltz are set to attend the Saudi talks, though the Russian delegation remains unconfirmed.
The Saudi meeting aligns with U.S. efforts to secure investment opportunities in Ukraine’s natural resources, raising concerns from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about potential resource concessions to Russia. Trump affirmed his confidence that Putin seeks peace and assured that Zelenskiy will be involved in any final agreement.
Despite concerns raised by U.S. Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg at the Munich Security Conference, Rubio and Witkoff confirmed that Ukraine and Europe will not be sidelined. French President Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency summit with European leaders to address the evolving situation. European officials, alarmed by recent U.S. moves, fear diminished U.S. military support and a peace deal favoring Russia.
Rubio refrained from confirming whether U.S. sanctions on Russia were discussed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov but highlighted the need for functional embassies in both nations for any progress. The ongoing diplomatic efforts aim to assess Russia’s sincerity in pursuing peace while maintaining support for Ukraine and European allies.