United States and Russia hold peace talks without Ukraine

In a new diplomatic move, officials from the United States and Russia met in Riyadh for the most significant discussions yet on ending the war in Ukraine—without Ukraine itself at the table. While Washington framed the meeting as an exploratory step to gauge Russia's commitment to peace, the exclusion of Ukraine has raised alarms in Kyiv and across Europe.

The talks, held in a lavish Saudi palace, included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with discussions reportedly touching on both the conflict and broader American-Russian relations. European leaders, caught off guard by this development, scrambled to assert their role in the negotiations, fearing a backroom deal that could reshape the security landscape of the continent.

Meanwhile, Moscow signalled its willingness to restore trade ties with Washington, emphasising the economic losses incurred due to sanctions. The meeting was prompted by a phone call between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, reigniting speculation about a potential summit between the two leaders. For now, it remains to be seen whether these talks will lead to meaningful progress or further diplomatic fractures.