U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Riyadh this week for high-stakes talks on the Ukraine crisis — but the absence of Kyiv and European leaders has ignited tensions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads the U.S. delegation, while Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov leads theirs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, currently in the UAE, confirmed Kyiv will boycott the negotiations, calling any agreement without Ukraine “unacceptable.”
Zelenskyy’s visit to Saudi Arabia, focused on energy price discussions, coincides with the talks. He plans to seek updates on the negotiations through Saudi channels but emphasized his trip is not directly connected.
Europe Mobilizes Against Exclusion
European leaders scrambled to respond after being sidelined. French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an emergency meeting Monday with representatives from NATO, the EU Commission, Germany, Britain, and other key states. Analysts say Europe views the U.S.-Russia dialogue as a strategic threat. Chen Yu of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations noted: “Europe fears being forced into a peace deal that sacrifices their interests while expanding Russian influence.”
A Diplomatic Minefield
The talks mark the first major U.S.-Russia dialogue since Moscow’s 2022 invasion. Critics argue sidelining Kyiv undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty, while Europe worries about losing geopolitical leverage. With Zelenskyy pursuing parallel energy diplomacy and NATO members rallying, the Riyadh meetings risk deepening divides rather than bridging them.
Reference(s):
U.S.-Russia peace talks omit key players: Ukraine and Europe
cgtn.com
