{"id":126976,"date":"2025-02-18T15:12:34","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T15:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/russia-and-the-us-agree-to-work-towards-improving-ties-and-ending-the-ukraine-war-in-landmark-talks-the-associated-press\/"},"modified":"2025-02-18T15:12:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T15:12:34","slug":"russia-and-the-us-agree-to-work-towards-improving-ties-and-ending-the-ukraine-war-in-landmark-talks-the-associated-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/russia-and-the-us-agree-to-work-towards-improving-ties-and-ending-the-ukraine-war-in-landmark-talks-the-associated-press\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia and the US agree to work towards improving ties and ending the Ukraine war in landmark talks – The Associated Press"},"content":{"rendered":"

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The meeting between the two countries\u2019 top diplomats in Riyadh is the most significant since Russia invaded its neighbor almost three years ago. It is meant to pave the way for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Video by Baraa Anwer)
Top Russian and U.S. officials are holding talks in Saudi Arabia in a bid to improve their ties and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Riyadh on Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second left, meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, third left, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, second right, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, sits next to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, sits next to Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
CORRECTS THE IDENTITY OF PERSON ON LEFT – Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, right, walks with an unidentified member of his team across the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Baraa Anwer)
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, speaks to journalists at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Baraa Anwer)
The meeting between the two countries\u2019 top diplomats in Riyadh is the most significant since Russia invaded its neighbor almost three years ago. It is meant to pave the way for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Video by Baraa Anwer)
Top Russian and U.S. officials are holding talks in Saudi Arabia in a bid to improve their ties and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Riyadh on Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second left, meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, third left, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, second right, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, second left, meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, third left, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, second right, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, sits next to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, sits next to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, sits next to Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, right, sits next to Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein\/Pool Photo via AP)
CORRECTS THE IDENTITY OF PERSON ON LEFT – Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, right, walks with an unidentified member of his team across the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Baraa Anwer)
CORRECTS THE IDENTITY OF PERSON ON LEFT – Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, right, walks with an unidentified member of his team across the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Baraa Anwer)
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, speaks to journalists at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Baraa Anwer)
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, speaks to journalists at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Baraa Anwer)
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) \u2014 Russia and the U.S. agreed Tuesday to start working towards ending the war in Ukraine<\/a><\/span> and improving their diplomatic and economic ties, America\u2019s top diplomat said after talks that reflected an extraordinary about-face in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the two side agreed broadly to pursue three goals: to restore staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, to create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks, and to explore closer relations and economic cooperation.
He stressed, however, that the talks \u2014 which were also attended by his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov \u2014 marked the beginning of a conversation, and more work needs to be done down the road.
No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting, which came as the beleaguered country is slowly but steadily losing ground<\/a><\/span> against more numerous Russian troops in a grinding war that began nearly three years ago.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country wouldn\u2019t accept any outcome from this week\u2019s talks since Kyiv wasn\u2019t taking part \u2014 and postponed his own trip scheduled for Wednesday.
European allies have also expressed concerns<\/a><\/span> they are being sidelined.<\/p>\n

Ties between Russia and the U.S. have fallen to their lowest level in decades during the war. Both embassies have been hit hard by expulsions of large numbers of diplomats over the course of several years, and the U.S., along with European nations, imposed a raft of sanctions on Russia. The allies have repeatedly expanded the measures<\/a><\/span> to damage Moscow\u2019s economy.
\u201cShould this conflict come to an acceptable end, the incredible opportunities that exist to partner with the Russians geopolitically on issues of common interest and frankly, economically on issues that hopefully will be good for the world and also improve our relations in the long term,\u201d Rubio said.
His comments were further evidence of the remarkable U.S. reversal on Russia after years in which Trump\u2019s predecessor, Joe Biden, led international efforts to isolate Moscow.
Tuesday\u2019s meeting was meant to pave the way for a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. After the talks wrapped, Putin\u2019s foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov, told Russia\u2019s Channel One that no date has been set yet for that summit but that it was \u201cunlikely\u201d to take place next week.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Lavrov said that in his view, \u201cthe conversation was very useful.\u201d He mentioned the same three goals as Rubio and said that Washington and Moscow agreed to appoint representatives to carry out \u201cregular consultations\u201d on Ukraine.
\u201cWe not only listened, but also heard each other,\u201d Lavrov. \u201cAnd I have reason to believe that the American side has started to better understand our position, which we have once again outlined in detail, using specific examples, based on President Putin\u2019s repeated speeches.\u201d
The meeting marked the most extensive contact between the two countries since Moscow\u2019s Feb. 24, 2022, invasion. Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked briefly on the sidelines of a G-20<\/a><\/span> meeting in India nearly two years ago, but tensions remained high.
The recent U.S. diplomatic blitz on the war has sent Ukraine and key allies scrambling to ensure a seat at the table amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could press ahead with a deal that won\u2019t be favorable to them.
Kyiv\u2019s absence at Tuesday\u2019s talks has rankled many Ukrainians<\/a><\/span>, and France called an emergency meeting<\/a><\/span> of European Union countries and the U.K. on Monday to discuss the war. Kyiv\u2019s participation in such talks was a bedrock of U.S. policy under Biden, whose administration also led international efforts to isolate Russia<\/a><\/span> over the war.
Rubio said Tuesday that ending the conflict would require concessions from all sides and that Europe would be a part of talks.
In talking about sanctions against Russia, Rubio noted that the measures have come from the U.S.’s allies as well.
\u201cThe European Union is going to have to be at the table at some point because they have sanctions as well that have been imposed,\u201d he said.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said he spoke by phone to Trump and Zelenskyy following Monday\u2019s European meeting.
\u201cWe seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine,\u201d Macron wrote on social media platform X. \u201cTo achieve this, Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians,\u201d he said and vowed to \u201cwork on this together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians.\u201d
Peskov on Tuesday said that Putin has repeatedly expressed readiness for peace talks, and noted that a durable settlement of the conflict in Ukraine would be impossible without \u201ca comprehensive consideration of security issues\u201d in Europe.
The meeting at the Diriyah Palace in the Saudi capital of Riyadh also highlights de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman\u2019s efforts to be a major diplomatic player, burnishing a reputation severely tarnished by the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi<\/a><\/span>.
Saudi state media described the talks as happening at the prince\u2019s direction. Like the neighboring United Arab Emirates, the prince has maintained close relations to Russia throughout its war on Ukraine, both through the OPEC+ oil cartel and diplomatically as well.
Saudi Arabia has also helped in prisoner negotiations and hosted Zelenskyy for an Arab League summit in 2023.
Zelenskyy postponed his own trip to Saudi Arabia scheduled for this week, citing the fact that officials from his country were not invited to the talks. He suggested he wanted to avoid his visit being linked to them. He said his visit was rescheduled for March 10.
Rubio was accompanied by U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Lavrov sat next to Ushakov. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and national security adviser Musaed al Alban joined Rubio, Lavrov and others for the start of the meeting.
Meanwhile, Russia continued to pummel Ukraine with drones, according to Kyiv\u2019s military. The Ukrainian air force said Russian troops launched a barrage of 176 drones at Ukraine overnight, most of which were destroyed or disabled by jamming.
One Russian drone struck a residential building in Dolynska in the Kirovohrad region, wounding a mother and her two children and prompting an evacuation of 38 apartments, the regional administration reported. Four more residential buildings were damaged by drone debris in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine, according to local officials.
Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia. Associated Press writers Baraa Anwer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n

source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.The meeting between the two countries\u2019 top diplomats in Riyadh is the most significant since Russia invaded its neighbor almost three years ago. It is meant to pave the way for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Video by Baraa Anwer)Top […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":126977,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-us","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126976"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126976\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}