Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a press conference on Tuesday following a high-stakes meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Saudi Arabia. The meeting, which lasted four and a half hours, aimed to discuss possibilities for ending Russia’s nearly three-year war on Ukraine, but notably did not include any representatives from Kyiv.
According to Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and one of Moscow’s negotiators, the meeting was described as “positive.” The US State Department confirmed that both sides agreed to establish a “consultation mechanism” to normalize US-Russian diplomatic relations, appoint high-level teams to initiate talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, and lay the groundwork for future discussions on geopolitical and economic interests once the war is resolved.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce emphasized President Trump’s commitment to peace and using US strength to bring countries together. Dmitriev noted that while it was too early to discuss specific agreements, the two sides began listening to each other and building mutual respect during the meeting.
Photos from the gathering showed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff facing off against Lavrov, Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, and Dmitriev. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud and National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad al-Aiban mediated the historic event.
The meeting marks a significant step towards potential diplomatic solutions to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, although the absence of Ukrainian representatives has raised concerns about the inclusivity of the discussions. As talks progress, the international community will be closely watching for any developments in this ongoing conflict.
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