Published: 4:02am, 17 Feb 2025Updated: 8:56am, 17 Feb 2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was to lead a delegation to Saudi Arabia for direct talks with Russian officials in the coming days to seek an end to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, a US official said on Sunday.
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Also expected to take part in the talks in Riyadh about Russia’s February 2022 invasion is National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to the official, who was not authorised to discuss the talks and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The official added that what the administration sees as early-stage negotiations remain fluid and who ultimately ends up at the table for the anticipated talks could change.
The trip follows last week’s telephone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in which Trump said they “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately”.
04:55
Ukraine says it won’t accept any US-Russia peace deal reached without Kyiv
Ukraine says it won’t accept any US-Russia peace deal reached without Kyiv
The call upended years of US policy, ending the isolation of Moscow over the Ukraine invasion. Trump also spoke separately to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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