US-Russian Ukraine Peace Talks: Kiev Excluded from Phase One

The White House envoy for the Middle East travels to Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, without the direct participation of Kiev

The US is accelerating its efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The first talks will start this week in Saudi Arabia, where White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will meet with a Russian delegation to discuss possible solutions to the conflict. Surprisingly, Ukraine will not be involved at this early stage. According to a Ukrainian government source, Kiev has not received any official invitation to participate in the talks.

Washington’s position and the Russian unknowns

In an interview with CBS, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised the importance of monitoring Russian President Vladimir Putin’s seriousness about the negotiations. According to Rubio, the coming weeks will be decisive to understand whether Putin really intends to end the war in Ukraine or whether these talks will only be window-dressing. The 12 February phone call between US President Donald Trump and the Russian president paved the way for these meetings, but for Rubio it is crucial that words are translated into concrete actions.

The importance of Ukraine and European involvement

Rubio reiterated that, should real peace negotiations open, Ukraine’s involvement will be essential. ‘Ukraine has been invaded, so it must be part of any serious negotiations,’ he said. Moreover, the Europeans will play a key role, as the sanctions imposed against Russia are a significant instrument of pressure. However, Rubio warned that we have not yet reached the point of a substantive dialogue, and that the path to a real negotiation remains uncertain.

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