Summary of the day so far
It’s just past 9pm in Kyiv, 10pm in Moscow, and 2pm in Washington. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
Top US and Russian officials held talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday where they agreed to continue planning an end to the Ukraine war and to pursue closer cooperation. The talks, which included US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, were the most extensive negotiations between the two countries in three years and marked a tectonic shift in Washington’s approach to Russia, dramatically moving away from the Biden administration’s efforts to isolate Moscow.
Rubio said Russia and the US had agreed to create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks and to explore “economic and investment opportunities which will emerge from a successful end to the conflict in Ukraine”. The US secretary of state said an end to the Ukraine conflict must be acceptable to all involved, including Ukraine, Europe and Russia. No Ukrainian or even European officials were present at the meeting. A statement from Rubio said the meeting was “the first step of a long and difficult journey”.
Lavrov reiterated Russian’s rejection of the dea of western boots in Ukraine. The deployment of Nato member troops in Ukraine, even if they were operating there under a different flag, was unacceptable, the Russian foreign minister said. He also rejected a US proposal that Russia and Ukraine halt strikes on each other’s energy infrastructure. Putin’s chief foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said the talks had “gone well” and that a potential Vladimir Putin-Donald Trump summit was discussed.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would not accept the results of talks between the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia that were held “behind Ukraine’s back” on Tuesday. “It feels like the US is now discussing the ultimatum that Putin set at the start of the full-scale war,” he said after a meeting with Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Zelenskyy also said he would seek the return of occupied eastern and southern towns and villages via diplomatic means. Zelenskyy also announced that he had postponed a visit to Saudi Arabia, originally expected on Wednesday.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said it was absurd for Russia to talk about peace while killing Ukrainians. Without criticising the Trump administration directly, he said the high-level US-Russia talks had not been properly prepared, adding that they were merely a forum for more Russian “ultimatums”. Podolyak said there was no point in having a “fake peace” that would lead to “an inevitable continuation of the war”.
France reportedly plans to a host a second meeting to discuss Ukraine and European security on Wednesday. The meeting comes after Paris convened an emergency meeting of EU nations and the UK on Monday, and will reportedly include European countries who were not present at the time and Canada. The security talks in Paris on Monday yielded no concrete measures, as European leaders struggled to present a united front amid divisions over the deployment of troops to Ukraine.
Poland’s president Andrzej Duda said the US has no intention of lowering its troop numbers in “our part” of eastern Europe. Duda, who has long been friendly to Trump, said there are “no concerns” that Washington would “in any way withdraw from its responsibility or co-responsibility for the security of this part of Europe” and urged Poles to “remain calm” in light of shifting priorities under the new US president.
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen warned that the current geopolitical and security situation was “worse than the cold war”. Frederiksen told the Danish parliament that “we are in a far more difficult … and more dangerous security situation than we have been in my lifetime” and called for a radical ramp-up of Danish defence spending.
We’ll bring you any further updates on US and global reaction to the talks in the US politics blog here:
Updated
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said Moscow and Washington would explore geopolitical and economic cooperation once the war in Ukraine is brought to an end.
Rubio, his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and other senior officials from both countries met at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia also addressed the UN security council on Tuesday.
With regard to efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine, it was “becoming clear who genuinely advocates a more fair, more equal world, and who are living in the past and are striving at any cost to make their geopolitical agendas a reality,” Nebenzia said, in quotes carried by Reuters.
Any state claiming to act as a mediator in proposing peace initiatives must first and foremost, clearly understand what caused this conflict.
He described the root cause of the conflict as a disregard for Russia’s security interests and an aspiration to “inflict a geopolitical defeat on Russia,” as well as failure by Ukraine’s government to respect the rights of its entire population.
As we reported earlier, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that Beijing supports “all efforts conducive to peace talks” in Ukraine.
Wang was addressing the UN security council after Russian and US officials met in Saudi Arabia to agree to press ahead with efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Beijing would continue to follow four points outlined by Chinese president Xi Jinping on what should be done, Wang said.
According to the Chinese state Xinhua news agency, those four points are refraining from seeking selfish gains; not adding fuel to the fire; creating conditions for the restoration of peace; and reducing a negative impact on the world economy and refraining from undermining the stability of global industrial and supply chains.
Zelenskyy reportedly postponed Saudi Arabia trip in order not to give 'legitimacy' to US-Russia talks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponed his visit to Saudi Arabia in order to not give “legitimacy” to Tuesday’s US-Russia meeting in Riyadh, according to a Reuters report.
As we reported earlier, Zelenskyy announced he had postponed his trip to Saudi Arabia, which was expected on Wednesday, until 10 March.
The Ukrainian leader said he had not been invited to the meeting between US and Russian delegations. “We want no one to decide anything behind our backs... No decision can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine,” he said.
Kyiv “didn’t want to appear to give anything that happened in Riyadh any legitimacy,” a source told Reuters.
Updated
A senior Ukrainian official has criticised US president Donald Trump for launching talks with Russia without Ukraine.
The senior Ukrainian official told Agence-France-Presse:
Both [Barack] Obama before 2014 and [Joe] Biden before this war talked to Putin about everyone without everyone, about Europe without Europe, and someone in Trump’s team led him in the same footsteps.
“This will only be feeding Putin’s appetite,” they added.
Ukraine was laid out on the glossy conference table in Riyadh on Tuesday, not to be dissected on this occasion, but rather for an initial inspection by the Americans and Russians, who have reserved the carving knives for future use.
No Ukrainians were present for these opening discussions on the country’s fate, or for the lunch of whole lamb and “symphony of scallops”, nor was anyone there representing the rest of the European continent. Whether they will be given a seat at the table before lines are drawn is far from clear. For now, they must wonder if they are among the “irritants” in US-Russia relations referred to by the US state department.
The US national security adviser, Michael Waltz, insisted the Ukrainians and Europeans had been – and will be – regularly consulted in their absence. The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said any agreement about Ukraine would have to be acceptable to all “everyone involved”.
Rubio is the most traditional foreign policy Republican in the Trump team, and he seemed anxious throughout. Notably, the former Florida senator did not repeat pledges he had made two days earlier in Jerusalem, that Ukraine and Europe would have to be at the table for any substantive talks, and that a settlement would respect Ukrainian sovereignty.
When asked in Riyadh on Tuesday about Kyiv and Europe’s sense of being sidelined, the secretary of state retorted that “the world should be thanking President Trump” for getting the peace process this far.
Read the full analysis: Ukraine and Europe made to sit outside as US and Russia sharpen their carving knives
France to convene second Ukraine meeting with European leaders and Canada - report
France plans to a host a second meeting to discuss Ukraine and European security on Wednesday, Reuters reports, citing diplomatic sources.
The meeting will include European countries who were not present earlier this week and Canada, according to the report.
The countries reportedly invited were Norway, Canada, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Romania, Sweden and Belgium.
The Russian government released a US citizen arrested earlier this month on drug smuggling charges ahead of talks between Moscow and Washington on Tuesday.
Kalob Byers, 28, was detained on 7 February at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport during a baggage check, after customs officials found cannabis-laced marmalade in his luggage.
Authorities said Byers had attempted to smuggle a “significant amount” of drugs into the country and put him in custody on the charges of drug smuggling, punishable by a prison term of up to 10 years.
A US embassy spokesperson said Byers’ release was a “welcome gesture”. The Kremlin, asked if his release suggested a warming in US-Russia ties, said “certain events can be viewed in this context.”
At least 10 other Americans remain behind bars in Russia, according to Reuters. They include Stephen Hubbard, 73, who was jailed in October for nearly seven years on charges that he served as a mercenary in Ukraine. Ksenia Karelina, a dual Russian-American citizen, was sentenced to 12 years in prison last year for donating just over $50 to a US charity that provides humanitarian support to Ukraine.
Polish president says US assures him it won't reduce troop numbers in eastern Europe
Polish president Andrzej Duda, speaking after a meeting in Warsaw with Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, sought to reassure Poles about the US’s plans.
There are no concerns that the US would reduce the level of its presence in our country, that the US would in any way withdraw from its responsibility or co-responsibility for the security of this part of Europe.
“On the contrary, I hope that thanks to the efforts that President Trump is currently making, the war in Ukraine will end,” he added.
Duda, who has long been friendly to Donald Trump, called on the population “to remain calm” in light of shifting priorities under the new US president.
Updated
Polish president Andrzej Duda said the US has no intention of lowering its troop numbers in “our part” of eastern Europe.
Duda was speaking after a meeting in Warsaw with Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, Reuters reports.
Ukraine officials say US is ‘appeasing’ Russia with talks in Riyadh
Ukraine reacted with gloom and dismay on Tuesday to the meeting between the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia, with officials in Kyiv saying the Trump administration was “appeasing” Moscow.
They said negotiations between the two delegations got under way in Riyadh just hours after Russia attacked Ukraine with dozens of drones. At least two people were killed and 26 injured, in strikes across the country.
One drone hit the top floor of a high-rise residential building in the central city of Dolynska, in the Kirovohrad region. A mother and her two children were injured and taken to hospital. “A difficult night,” the local governor, Andriy Raikovych, said.
Soon after the talks concluded in Riyadh, air raid sirens wailed across the capital, Kyiv. Millions of Ukrainians were told by text message to seek shelter because of a threat from Russian ballistic missiles.
It was absurd for Moscow to talk about peace while killing Ukrainians, said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office. The latest salvo of 176 drones fired at Ukraine represented Russia’s actual “negotiating position”, he posted.
Read the full report here:
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that China supports all efforts conducive to peace talks on the war in Ukraine, Reuters reports.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey would be an “ideal host” for any talks on ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, AFP reports.
At a joint news conference in Ankara with Volodymyr Zelenskyy he said:
“Turkey will be an ideal host for the possible talks between Russia, Ukraine and America in the near future,”
Referring to the new “diplomatic initiative started by Mr Trump to end the war swiftly through negotiations”, Erdogan said previous talks in Istanbul between the sides in 2022 had been “an important reference point and the platform where the parties came closest to an agreement”.
Erdoğan and Zelenskyy met several hours after top US and Russian diplomats gathered in Saudi for their first high-level talks since Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has said his visit to Saudi Arabia has been rescheduled for 10 March.
… and on that note, it’s a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa.
But don’t go anywhere: I am leaving you with Jane Clinton who will guide you through the rest of the afternoon and bring you the latest reactions to US-Russia talks in Riyadh.
Zelenskyy calls for 'fair' Ukraine talks, postpones Saudi trip
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for “fair” peace talks on Ukraine seeking to end the Russian invasion on the country, arguing they should involve the European Union, Turkey and the UK.
He criticised today’s US-Russia talks pointing out that they did not include a Ukrainian representative.
Talks “are taking place between representatives of Russia and representatives of the United States of America. About Ukraine – about Ukraine again – and without Ukraine,” he said.
“Ukraine, Europe in a broad sense – and this includes the European Union, Turkey, and the UK – should be involved in conversations and the development of the necessary security guarantees with America regarding the fate of our part of the world,” he said at a press conference in Ankara, quoted by AFP.
He also said that he postponed his trip to Saudi Arabia, which was expected on Wednesday, suggesting he wants to avoid his visit being linked to US-Russia talk, Associated Press said.
Updated
'This is worse than the cold war,' Danish prime minister warns parliament
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has warned the Danish parliament that the current geopolitical and security situation was “worse than the cold war,” as she called for a radical ramp-up of Danish defence spending.
The leader debriefed the parliament on last night’s discussions in Paris as part of a Q&A session with lawmakers.
“We are in a far more difficult … and more dangerous security situation than we have been in my lifetime,” she said.
“This is worse than the cold war,” she said.
She warned that Russia could find itself again in a position to attack Ukraine or other countries if the peace settlement is not lasting and containing substantial security guarantees.
Confirming media reports from yesterday, which we covered in this blog here, Frederiksen told lawmakers that her government will propose new plans in this area on Wednesday, granting additional powers to the Chief of Defence to make necessary procurement decisions with shortened timelines.
Updated
EU 'needs to take issues in its own hands,' EU's Dombrovskis says on sanctions
I earlier reported that Marco Rubio said he would want to involve the EU in some format, acknowledging the bloc has its own sanctions on Russia (14:15).
He said that “the European Union is going to have to be at the table at some point, because they have sanctions as well that have been imposed.”
EU economy and trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis was asked earlier today about to what extent the EU is happy to follow the US lead on sanctions and let’s just say he was not entirely convinced.
He said:
Well, I think it’s very clear with the most of current Trump administration that [the] EU will need to take issues related to [the] EU’s security more in its own hands. That also concerns sanctions policy.
As you know, the work continues on preparing the 16th sanctions package.
What parties say was agreed at US-Russia talks in Riyadh - summary
US and Russian diplomats have agreed to restart diplomatic relations between the two countries, and intend to appoint ambassadors ‘as soon as possible’ to help with resolving any tensions that may arise in bilateral relations (14:51).
As a second step, they intend to start formal consultations on a peace deal on Ukraine, with Russia waiting for the US to name its top team, and negotiations expected to follow on a “regular” basis (14:49).
The talks would include discussions on territory and security guarantees, as the priority would be on making it “a permanent end to the war,” US said (14:12), but refused to discuss what it would mean for Crimea, for example (14:40).
The US side has insisted that they would involve Ukraine and the European Union in the talks in some role, but without committing to giving them a place at the table. US state secretary Marco Rubio said that “everyone involved in that conflict has to be OK with it, it has to be acceptable to them” (14:15).
Any postwar peace guarantee would have to be “European-led,” US officials said, repeating calls for European allies to increase defence spending and praising the UK and France for “talking about contributing more forcefully to Ukraine’s security” (14:30).
But Russia ruled out any deployment of European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, with Lavrov pointedly saying it would be “completely unacceptable” as he called Nato’s expansion eastwards “a direct threat to the Russian Federation” (15:01).
In the longer term, both countries want to explore further geopolitical and economic cooperation, with Rubio praising “extraordinary opportunities,” but only if they agree on a peace deal for Ukraine first, the US said (14:38).
Updated
Lavrov gets asked about Zelenskyy’s comments he would not recognise the outcome of any talks between the US and Russia, without Ukraine present at the table.
He declines to comment, saying that president Putin has already covered this “in great detail.”
Any deployment of Nato forces in Ukraine 'completely unacceptable', Lavrov says
Lavrov gets asked about the potential of any deployment of Nato troops to Ukraine, and dismisses the proposal as “completely unacceptable”.
Here is what he said:
We noted that president Trump was the first of western leaders to say that dragging Ukraine into Nato was one of the main [reasons behind] what is happening, one of Biden’s biggest mistakes. Had Trump been the president, that would have never happened.
President Putin stressed more than once that Nato’s expansion and the absorption of Ukraine by Nato was a direct threat to the Russian Federation and our sovereignty.
And we explained today that any appearance by armed forces from the Nato countries under some flag, under the European flag or under flags, doesn’t change anything.
It is of course completely unacceptable.
Updated
Lavrov rejects Polish foreign minister Sikorski's comments on US plans as 'fake'
Lavrov rejects media speculations about a potential three-point plan for Ukraine, which was reported by some media.
He also attacks Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski, saying he asked the US delegation about his comments over the weekend about the US plan for Ukraine being “unorthodox,” and was satisfied that what the Pole said was “fake.”
Updated
'Practically agreed' on mutual embassy presence, Ukraine talks to start and be regular once US names team, Lavrov says
Lavrov says that the two sides “practically agreed” that they need to resolve issues concerning the functioning of diplomatic missions.
On Ukraine, he says there is “a mutual desire” to find solutions, and Russia will wait for the US to appoint its representatives.
“After that, relevant consultations will begin and will be regular,” he says.
Process for US-Russia talks on Ukraine to start 'as soon as possible,' with appointment of representatives, Lavrov says
Lavrov also says the two sides agreed to start “as soon as possible” the process for Ukraine peace talks, and Russia will be waiting for the US to confirm its representatives for the talks and then appoint their own.
Repeating the three points made by Rubio and Waltz earlier, he then talks about “creating conditions” for broader US-Russia cooperation, including on “resuming consultations on geopolitical issues,” and “removing the artificial barriers in the way of mutually beneficial economic cooperation.”
'Not just listened, but heard each other,' Lavrov praises US-Russia talks
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says the talks were “very useful,” as the sides “did not just listen to each other, but heard each other.”
“I have every reason to believe that the American side understands our position,” he says.
He says the two sides agreed to ensure “the speediest possible” appointment of ambassadors to both countries and the removal of barriers that “for many years, and primarily the Biden administration in the last four years, erected between our diplomatic missions.”
Russian foreign minister Sergiei Lavrov is speaking now, offering the Russian view on today’s talks.
I will bring you the key lines soon.
On a number of more detailed policy questions – for example, on whether any peace talks could include a proposal to recognise the occupied Crimea as Russian territory or to remove Sergei Lavrov from US sanctions – the US delegation seeks to avoid giving a clear answer, saying instead they are not prepared to “negotiate or talk through every element” as the sides are “not at that level of conversation yet.”
Ukraine peace 'key to unlock' economic opportunities with Russia, Rubio says
US state secretary Marco Rubio says that part of the focus is on “ensuring that our diplomatic missions can function” and lead “vibrant diplomatic” relations.
He then the second element is to conduct peace talks on Ukraine, which he says will include “engagement and consultation” with Ukraine and “partners in Europe,” he says.
But he says that ultimately, at the third step, the US wants to move to “engage in identifying the extraordinary opportunities that exist should this conflict come to acceptable end … to partner with Russians geopolitically, on issues of common interest, and frankly economically.”
Obviously, the diplomatic one is one we think we hope to move pretty quickly on, because this involves the treatment of our respective missions.
The second one will be difficult, which is the question of Ukraine and the end of that conflict.
But I think that’s essential in order for the third to even be possible, which is our ability to work together on other geopolitical matters of common interest, and, of course, some pretty unique, potentially historic, economic partnerships as well.
The key that unlocks the door for those opportunities, however, is the end to this conflict.
Europe needs to lead on security guarantees, US' Waltz says, as he praises UK, France for 'talking about contributing more forcefully'
US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz repeated calls for a “European-led security guarantee,” and increased defence spending in Europe.
“The fact that a third of our Nato allies still do not contribute the minimum of 2% of their GDP to defence a decade after we all collectively made that agreement isn’t acceptable,” he says.
This is a common effort. This isn’t just about what the United States is going to continue to contribute and what we are going to continue to ask of the American taxpayer. We all have to make those tough decisions.
We all have to contribute to our common defence, and we expect that this to be a two way street for our European allies, and the fact that both the United Kingdom, France, and others are talking about contributing more forcefully to Ukraine’s security, we think is a good thing.
Updated
No date for Trump-Putin meeting yet, but leaders expect to meet, US delegation says
On any potential meeting between Trump and Putin:
We did not set that date, but the two presidents talked about meeting and expect to meet.
Ukraine, Europe consulted almost daily, Waltz insists, praising shuttle diplomacy
US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz gets asked about Ukrainians and Europeans feeling sidelined in these talks with Russia.
“If you’re going to bring both sides together, you have to talk to both sides. And we’ll continue to remind everyone, literally, within minutes of president Trump hanging up with President Putin, he called [and] spoke with president Zelensky,” he says, praising “shuttle diplomacy.”
The US “will continue to push back on this notion that our allies haven’t been consulted: they’re being and they are being literally almost on a daily basis, and we’ll continue to do so,” he says.
Everyone needs to be OK with agreement, US Rubio says, hints at EU role needed to remove sanctions on Russia
US state secretary Marco Rubio:
What’s important to understand is two things. The first is [that] the only leader in the world who can make this happen, who can even bring people together to begin to talk about it in a serious way, is President Trump.
The second thing I would say is that in order for a conflict to end, everyone involved in that conflict has to be okay with it; it has to be acceptable to them.
He says today’s meeting was “the first step of a long and difficult journey.”
He says that “in order to bring an end to any conflict, there has to be concessions made by all sides,” but it would be wrong to “predetermine those.”
He hints at a role for the EU further down the line, saying that “there are other parties that have sanctions, the European Union is going to have to be at the table at some point, because they have sanctions as well that have been imposed.”
“The goal is to bring an end to this conflict in a way that’s fair, enduring, sustainable and acceptable to all parties involved. What that looks like? Well, that’s what this what the ongoing engagement is going to be all about.”
Updated
Ukraine talks to include discussion on territory, security guarantees, US delegation says
The US delegation is now speaking to the media.
US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz says that:
There’s some underlying principles.
This needs to be a permanent end to the war, and not a temporary end, as we’ve seen in the past.
We know just the practical reality is that there is going to be some discussion of territory, and there’s going to be discussion of security guarantees. Those are fundamental basics that will, that will undergird and underlie any type of discussion.
But I think the most important part is the President has stated his desire, his determination to end this war, to end the killing that is going on … It is not in the interest of either country. It’s not in the interest of the world, and certainly not in the interest of the United States and Europe.
So all of those things will drive the negotiations going forward.
Can’t help but wonder how Ukrainian and European officials feel reading about plans to “address irritants” to the US-Russia relationship.
Going on a limb, but I think they may not be happy with the choice of words here.
Updated
US-Russia agree to 'address irritants' to bilateral relationship, start Ukraine talks, US says
The US and Russian delegations have agreed to “address irritants to our bilateral relationship with the objective of taking steps necessary to normalise the operation of our respective diplomatic missions,” US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said after today’s Riyadh talks.
The two sides also agreed to appoint high-level teams for Ukraine talks, “working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides,” she said.
The US and Russia will also begin to look at “future cooperation on matters of mutual geopolitical interest and historic economic and investment opportunities which will emerge from a successful end to the conflict in Ukraine,” she added.
The statement claims that:
President Trump wants to stop the killing; the United States wants peace and is using its strength in the world to bring countries together. President Trump is the only leader in the world who can get Ukraine and Russia to agree to that.
“The parties to today’s meetings pledge to remain engaged to make sure the process moves forward in a timely and productive manner,” it said.
But on timelines, the statement noted that “one phone call followed by one meeting is not sufficient to establish enduring peace,” and so it is only a start of the process.
The US also thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting the talks.
Updated
Russia-US talks on Ukraine to start 'in due time,' to be decided by Putin, Ushakov says
We are getting more reactions from Ushakov, who said that separate teams of Russian and US negotiators will begin contacts on Ukraine in due time.
He added that the decision to begin contacts with US on Ukraine ultimately would fall to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
On any Trump-Putin meeting, he said that “the delegations of the two countries need to work closely together.”
“We are ready for this, but it is still difficult to talk about a specific date for the meeting of the two leaders,” he said, quoted by Associated Press.
Riyadh talks 'went well,' with early discussions on Ukraine, conditions for Trump-Putin summit, Russia's Ushakov says
Russia’s chief foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov has said it “went well” and was “a serious conversation on all issues,” according to Interfax and Tass, via Reuters.
He also said that the two sides agreed for negotiators to talk about Ukraine, and briefly discussed the conditions needed for a Putin-Trump summit, although he noted it was unlikely to take place next week.
US-Russia talks in Riyadh finished
We are hearing that that’s it in Riyadh – the US-Russia talks are over.
We will bring you reactions shortly.
Taking a step away from the Riyadh talks for a second, I just wanted to bring this insightful and visually brilliant piece on Europe’s population crisis to your attention.
The Guardian’s interactive journalist Alex Clark looks at how the rise of the far-right could speed up the population decline of Europe, projections show, creating economic shocks including slower growth and soaring costs from pensions and elderly care.
Involves lots of maps and charts, but it’s well worth your time.
Meanwhile in Brussels, European Commission spokespeople are heroically trying not to go beyond the readout from von der Leyen’s meeting with US Ukraine envoy Kellogg (10:25).
They have spent last 30 or 40 minutes dancing around questions about what was said behind the closed doors, including if there were any guarantees that Europe would eventually get a seat at the table.
And deputy chief spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker is running out of ways to say the variation of “I don’t think there’s anything I can add to the readout that has been made available.”
The current line appears to be:
There can be no just and lasting peace with Ukraine without Ukraine, and there can be no just and lasting peace with Ukraine without the European Union.
This is a matter that concerns the security of Ukraine and of the European Union, and it’s with the partners that we will reach and work towards a just and lasting peace.
EU’s foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper went a bit further:
Russia is the aggressor. Russia needs to pay, and this is what we need to do to make and ensure that Ukraine stands strong.
This means more ammunition, more weapons, more defense. Putin only understands this language of power. So this is something that we will need to do, and we are doing in a united way.
And Russia is a threat, not only to Ukraine, but beyond Europe. So we need to stop Russia.
In the last few minutes, de Keersmaecker was also asked about a social media post from Kellogg, in which he thanked Costa for a meeting (describing him as “the EU president”) but didn’t mention his talks with von der Leyen.
“Unfortunately, although we at the Commission can do quite a lot of things, we cannot read the minds of other people,” he responded with a deep sigh.
Updated
US-Russia talks in Riyadh break for working lunch
Russian foreign ministry has just said that talks in Saudi Arabia have now broken for working lunch.
Here they are enjoying the break in talks:
(Turns out the earlier 15-minute pause we reported earlier was something else, probably just a coffee break or something!)
Who is who in the room where it happens in Riyadh
Russian affairs reporter
US:
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (left)
A New York property developer who has known Donald Trump for decades and is now at the centre of his foreign policy team. Witkoff is credited with pressuring Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a Gaza ceasefire deal.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio (second left)
Once a staunch critic of Donald Trump, Rubio has since become one of his closest allies, making history as the first Latino to serve as the nation’s top diplomat.
The 53-year-old former Florida senator has advocated a hardline stance on China and Iran while opposing additional funding for Ukraine.
US national security adviser Mike Waltz (third left)
A decorated war veteran and three-term congressman from Florida, Michael Waltz was an early and steadfast supporter of Donald Trump during his first presidency.
Known for his hawkish stance on China and Iran, Waltz has also served as an advisor to multiple Republican administrations.
RUSSIA:
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov (right)
A stalwart of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov has served as the country’s foreign minister for over two decades. Throughout his career, he has been a vocal critic of western interference in other nations’ affairs and a staunch opponent of liberal values. However, his actual influence over Putin remains a matter of debate.
Russia’s chief foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov (second right)
The 77-year-old Ushakov has been Putin’s top foreign policy aide for over a decade but has largely remained behind the scenes.
Previously, he served as Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. from 1998 to 2008, gaining valuable experience in negotiations with Washington.
THE HOSTS:
Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Saudi national security adviser Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban (center) joined the start of the meeting but were expected to leave early in the talks.
European Council president António Costa posted a brief update after his meeting with US Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg.
Peace cannot be a simple ceasefire – we need an agreement that will ensure a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine and security in Europe.
Ukraine can count on Europe. We are ready to continue to work constructively with the US to ensure peace and security.
Russia looking for sanctions relief - analysis
Russian affairs reporter
In Riyadh, Russia is expected to use discussions on a potential Ukraine settlement as leverage to push for sanctions relief.
Leading Moscow’s economic negotiations is Kirill Dmitriev, the 49-year-old head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a close friend of Putin’s daughter. A former investment banker, Dmitriev has played a key role in Russia’s outreach to international investors.
Although he was not present during the meetings between Russian officials Sergei Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov and their US counterparts, Dmitriev held separate discussions in Riyadh.
“US oil majors have done very well in Russia,” Dmitriev said in a brief interview on Tuesday morning before the talks began. “We believe that, at some point, they will return – why would they pass up the opportunities Russia has provided for access to its natural resources?,” he asked.
US-Russia talks in Riyadh resume after 15-minute break
Senior international correspondent
Russian and US delegations in Riyadh have resumed talks after a 15-minute pause, a TASS correspondent reports.
Updated
Vatican cancels Pope Francis’s engagements this weekend
The Vatican has just said that Pope Francis’s plans for this week have been cancelled as he continues to battle with “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract,” which requires further hospital treatment.
His Jubilee Audience on Saturday got cancelled, and Archbishop Rino Fisichella will cover for him at this Sunday’s mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican.
US-Russia talks in Riyadh break for lunch
Russian affairs reporter
We are getting a line from Russia that there is now a pause in discussions in Riyadh, as the two sides broke for lunch. It’s just after 1pm there.
We are also told to expect a press conference from Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov after the meeting.
Only US can provide deterrence to stop Putin from attacking again, UK defence secretary says
Let me just bring you another passage from UK defence secretary John Healey’s event in London, as he discussed the potential deployment of UK troops to Ukraine.
This is what he said:
We need a security guarantee for Ukraine in Ukraine that is capable of delivering what President Trump has pledged and says he wants, which is a durable peace that requires an end to the Russian attack and no repeat of that in the future.
The European countries have to play a leading part in that guarantee, but require a backstop from the US, because in the end, it is only the US that can provide the deterrence to Putin that will prevent him attacking again.
The detail of that is being developed. Keir Starmer will discuss that with President Trump when they meet shortly.
But the one thing I’m not going to do is discuss details of the work that we’re doing, the discussions we’re having with allies and with the US, because the one thing I don’t want to do is make Putin any wiser.
Updated
We are in new era of threat, UK defence secretary warns
UK defence secretary John Healey has been speaking at the Institute for Government in London in the last few minutes.
In a broader speech focusing on his plans for reforming armed forces, he warned that “the decisions that we make right now over the coming weeks will not only define the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine, but the security of our world for a generations to come.”
He argued that “the test of leadership, of political leadership, isn’t just about managing the immediate, it’s also about reforming for the future.”
“We are in a new era of threat, and that demands a new era for defence,” he said.
You can follow more from him in our UK live blog here:
Updated
Putin ready to talk to Zelenskyy 'if necessary,' Kremlin says, but questions Ukrainian president's legitimacy
As the talks in Riyadh continue behind the closed doors, we have been getting some lines from the Kremlin, via Reuters and AFP.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin would be ready to talk to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy “if necessary,” but appeared to question his legitimacy.
“Putin himself said that he would be ready to negotiate with Zelensky if necessary but the legal basis of agreements needs discussion considering the reality that Zelensky’s legitimacy can be questioned,” he told reporters.
He also said that the issue of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union was its sovereign right and that Russia did not intend to dictate to Kyiv how it should approach the question – but it would draw a line when it comes to military alliances.
“We are talking about integration and economic integration processes. And here, of course, no one can dictate anything to any country, and we are not going to do that,” Peskov said.
But on Nato, he said: “There is a completely different position, of course, on security-related issues related to defence or military alliances.”
In comments that are likely to cause further alarm in central and eastern Europe, Peskov also said that “a lasting and long-term viable resolution is impossible without a comprehensive consideration of security issues on the continent.”
He also added that the talks in Riyadh might provide more clarity on a possible meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, but there is no understanding on this question yet.
EU wants to work alongside US in 'critical moment' for Ukraine, von der Leyen tells US envoy Kellogg
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told US envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellog that the European Union wants to “work alongside the US to end the bloodshed and help secure the just and lasting peace that Ukraine and its people rightfully deserve,” according to a readout released by her office.
Von der Leyen also presented Kellogg with “Europe’s plans to scale up defence production and spending, reinforcing both European and Ukrainian military capabilities.”
“Reaffirming the EU’s commitment to a just and lasting peace, the President reiterated that any resolution must respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, backed by strong security guarantees,” the note said.
“As the President made it clear: now is a critical moment,” it added.
Updated
Trump upended 'trustful' EU-US relations, EU's Ribera says, promising enforcement against US Big Tech
European Commission vice-president Teresa Ribera told Reuters that US president Donald Trump has upended the “trustful relationship” between the United States and Europe, and that Brussels should focus on providing the predictability and stability that is lacking in Washington.
“We need to stick to our strengths and principles,” she said in an interview in London on Monday, criticising Trump’s transactional approach to politics.
“We need to be flexible but we cannot transact on human rights nor are we going to transact on the unity of Europe, and we are not going to transact on democracy and values,” she argued.
In unusually direct comments, Ribera also criticised the US policymaking, saying she does “not see any predictability, stability or affordability in these announcements, this is a little bit shocking.”
The Spanish politician, who is in charge of EU’s digital playbook rules in the Digital Services Act, also said that – despite repeated criticism from the US administration – she would issue two decisions on US Big Tech companies, Apple and Meta, “next month.”
“There will be decisions along the lines that have been discussed with the companies, developed and based on evidence,” she said.
Updated
'Decision, actions, coherence - quickly,' Macron says of Europe's plans for Ukraine
Speaking of France’s Emmanuel Macron, we didn’t hear from him last night, but he posted a social media update after the talks.
“After bringing together several European leaders, I have just spoken with President @realDonaldTrump and then with President @ZelenskyyUa,” he said.
He asserted that European partners “seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine,” as “Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians.”
Repeating similar warnings from other leaders, he said that “otherwise, there is a risk that this ceasefire will end up like the Minsk agreements.”
“We will work on this together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians. This is the key.
We are convinced that Europeans must invest better, more, and together in their security and defense—both for today and for the future.
To this end, Europeans want to accelerate the implementation of their own agenda for sovereignty, security, and competitiveness. Work will continue based on the European Commission’s proposals, both in supporting Ukraine and in developing and investing in our defense. This agenda, defined in 2022 at the Versailles Summit, must simply be carried out.
Decisions, actions, coherence. Quickly.
I will continue these discussions in the coming days.
Even 'hesitant,' EU will still be strong enough to help us prevail, Ukraine's deputy prime minister says
Ukrainian deputy prime minister Olha Stefanishyna is in Warsaw this morning attending a General Affairs Council of the European Union, and she briefly spoke with reporters before the meeting.
Stefanishyna was also asked about potential security guarantees for Ukraine and deployment of European troops as part of a peacekeeping force, and her thoughts on the Paris summit last night.
She noted that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had “a long phone call” with the host, French president Emmanuel Macron, and said the question of guarantees and deployment remained under “active discussion”.
“We are closely following the developments on the US side, but I am sure that the European Union, while … hesitant on many issues, will be strong enough to help Ukraine prevail,” she said.
She also stressed that Ukraine was “not in a process of negotiating a deal,” while acknowledging the “processes” put in place by the new US administration.
She also said that Ukraine “has not rejected” the proposed US deal on critical minerals, which remain under discussion. “We expect that it will be signed,” she said.
Stefanishyna was part of the Ukrainian delegation at the Munich Security Conference, taking part in a bilateral meeting with US vice-president JD Vance alongside president Zelenskyy.
US Ukraine envoy Kellogg in Brussels
And almost in parallel, US Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg arrives at the Berlaymont in Brussels for his talks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Later today, he will also meet with European Council president António Costa before travelling to Poland to meet with Polish president Andrzej Duda.
Inside the room where it happens - pictures
… and we are now getting first pictures from inside the room where it happens as the US-Russia talks get under way in Riyadh.
Morning opening: Oh I wanna be in the room where it happens
Back when Europe was still looking to America with hope, and not despair and confusion, a US musical perfectly captured the nature of the conversations we are going to see today:
No one really knows how the game is played
The art of the trade
How the sausage gets made
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in the room where it happens
Well, from the European point of view, that is exactly the problem: that no one will be in the room where it happens as the US and Russian negotiators meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this morning.
Their talks have just started in the last few minutes.
US secretary state Marco Rubio and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov are going to discuss their bilateral relations, potential for future partnerships, and what they intend to do to bring to an end the Russian illegal aggression of Ukraine.
But Ukraine and Europe are not there and will have to rely on a polished version of what they get told by the US administration. Not ideal.
As Hamilton put it,
When you got skin in the game, you stay in the game
But you don’t get a win unless you play in the game
Oh, you get love for it
You get hate for it
But you get nothing if you
Wait for it
The question of how to get back in that room was discussed at the last night’s emergency meeting in Paris, and I will be looking at reactions across Europe and European leaders’ plans on what’s next.
Or, to quote Aaron Burr,
I wanna be (Where it happens)
I’ve got to be, I’ve got to be (I wanna be in the room where it happens)
In that room (The room where it happens)
In that big ol’ room (The room where it happens)
It’s Tuesday, 18 February 2024, and this is Europe Live. It’s Jakub Krupa here.
Good morning.
US-Russia talks in Riyadh start
The talks between the US and Russia are now under way in Riyadh, Reuters says.
Donald Trump sidelined Kyiv and other European capitals from the negotiations on ending the Ukraine war and then called into question the future of US support for Europe’s security altogether.
In this podcast, the Guardian’s central and eastern Europe correspondent, Shaun Walker, talks through a seismic week.
Updated
Russia hopes that the US will hear Moscow’s position during the talks in Riyadh, the chief of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund said today.
Russia’s Interfax news agency was quoting Kirill Dmitriev, a US-educated former Goldman Sachs banker who played a role in early contacts between Moscow and Washington during Trump’s first term as president from 2016-20.
Meanwhile, the start of the talks would have no impact on Moscow’s cooperation with Tehran, the Tass news agency reported on Tuesday, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
He added that Russia was ready to help Iran in solving problems related to its nuclear program.
Updated
Today’s Russia-US talks in Riyadh come barely a month after Donald Trump took office and reflect a significant departure from Washington’s position under the administration of Joe Biden, who eschewed public contacts, concluding that Russia was not serious about ending the war, Reuters reports.
Russia, which has occupied parts of Ukraine since 2014, launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Trump has vowed to end the war quickly. Ukraine says no agreements can be made on its behalf in the talks, to which Kyiv was not invited.
US officials sought to cast today’s talks as an initial contact to determine whether Moscow was serious about ending the war in Ukraine.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters in Riyadh:
This is a follow-up on that initial conversation between Putin and President Trump about perhaps if that first step is even possible, what the interests are, if this can be managed.
The Kremlin, however, suggested the discussions would cover “the entire complex of Russian-American relations”, as well as preparing for talks on a possible settlement regarding Ukraine and a meeting between the two presidents.
Updated
Here’s the latest Ukraine war briefing ahead of today’s US-Russia talks to discuss ending the conflict.
As Warren Murray and agencies report, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the US was trying to “please” Vladimir Putin as it aimed for a “quick win” by rushing towards a ceasefire. “But what they want – just a ceasefire – is not a win,” the Ukrainian president said in an interview broadcast on Monday. “We [Ukraine] will not sign just anything in order to be applauded … the fate of our state for generations to come [is at stake].”
Zelenskyy also warned that Europe was in a weak position if it could not rely on US security assistance. “There will definitely not be a Ukrainian victory without US support.”
Zelenskyy said he and Donald Trump had spoken about deploying foreign troops to police a future ceasefire. “I told him the Americans should be a part of this, because otherwise we might lose our unity.”
At a meeting of Kyiv’s backers in Brussels last week, the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, flatly rejected the possibility of a US troop deployment to Ukraine.
Click here for the full report:
Updated
European futures hit record peaks on Tuesday as defence stocks soared on expectations of a spending bump.
S&P 500 futures were up 0.2% and European futures were up 0.1%, Reuters reports. On Monday the pan-European STOXX 600 index closed 0.5% higher as a gauge of defence and aerospace stocks surged 4.6% to lifetime peaks, having already more than doubled in value since Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago.
Investors expect earnings in the industry to continue to rise strongly, driven by a significant surge in defence budgets to meet new security needs – which analysts have dubbed a “supercycle” for the sector.
Hopes for an end to hostilities in Ukraine also improved sentiment in other sectors in Europe.
“A resolution to the conflict in Ukraine could deliver positive growth impulses for Europe, including improved consumer confidence, lower energy prices and easier financial conditions,” said Bruno Schneller, managing director at Erlen Capital Management.
French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday hosted an emergency summit on Ukraine after US officials suggested Europe would have no role in any talks this week in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the conflict. The UK said it was ready to send peacekeeping troops to back up any deal.
Updated
Headlines in European newspapers today were dominated by the emergency meeting of leaders in Paris after a week in which the US sidelined Europe and Ukraine from ceasefire negotiations and made it plain the US should not be relied upon for the region’s security, Helen Livingstone reports.
The summit came a day before today’s US-Russia meeting in Riyadh but ended with little unity on crucial points, including the idea of sending a European peacekeeping force to the country.
“Europe in Trump shock”, Germany’s Handelsblatt reported, writing that even as Europeans try to find a common strategy for dealing with Russia and the US, there is “no consensus on key questions”.
In the UK, the Guardian splashed on “Starmer: US ‘backstop’ vital to deter future Russian attacks on Ukraine” and reported that European leaders had also called for a “massive boost in defence spending” at the Paris meeting.
For a full rundown on the headlines, click here:
The prospects of the US-Russia talks leading to an agreement to halt the fighting in Ukraine are unclear, Agence France-Presse reports, and the US and Russia have cast the discussions as the beginning of a potentially lengthy process.
“I don’t think that people should view this as something that is about details or moving forward in some kind of a negotiation,” US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, told state media the talks would discuss “how to start negotiations on Ukraine”.
Both Ukraine and Russia have ruled out territorial concessions and Putin last year demanded Kyiv withdraw its troops from even more territory.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled to Turkey on Tuesday to discuss the conflict with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and then Saudi Arabia a day later.
He does not plan to hold talks with either the US or Russian delegations, his spokesperson said on Monday.
Zelenskyy said last week he was prepared to meet Putin, but only after Kyiv and its allies had a common position on ending the war.
Updated
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the US-Russia talks in Riyadh – it’s approaching 8am in the Saudi capital.
Today’s talks aim to pave the way for the first exchanges on a potential peace deal to end the Ukraine war. However, Kyiv and European leaders have been excluded, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine “cannot recognise any things or any agreements about us without us”.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and senior Putin aide Yuri Ushakov are to meet with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, criticised US president Donald Trump’s decision to rush into peace talks with Russia, saying it was “highly inappropriate” that a debate had started about the outcome of talks that had not yet taken place and were being conducted without Ukraine’s involvement.
This is Adam Fulton to kick off our reporting before Jakub Krupa takes the reins later to steer you through the day.
The US and Russian sides both sides played down the chances that the first high-level meeting since US Trump took office would result in a breakthrough, but the existence of the talks and Washington’s recent overtures towards the Kremlin have alarmed Ukraine and Europe.
The talks come after European leaders gathered in Paris for an emergency summit on how to respond to the new US administration’s dramatic pivot. The summit heard widespread calls for a large boost in defence spending, and the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, later urged Trump to provide a US “backstop” to a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine, saying it was the only way to deter Russia from attacking the country again.
Preparations for a possible summit between presidents Trump and Vladimir Putin are also expected to be on the Riyadh agenda. Trump is pushing for a swift resolution to the three-year conflict in Ukraine, while Russia sees his outreach as a chance to win concessions.
In other developments:
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, said on Monday upon arrival in Riyadh that talks on Ukraine would be strictly bilateral, Russia’s RIA state news agency reported. “We came to negotiate with American colleagues,” it quoted Ushakov as saying. “These are bilateral talks, purely bilateral. There can be no trilateral talks in Riyadh.”
The Riyadh talks are proceeding to follow up on a surprise phone call to Putin initiated by Trump last week. Trump’s special Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, stressed Trump wanted a quick deal: “We are now at Trump time, which means I get an assignment today and tomorrow at noon he asks me why it hasn’t been done yet.”
Russia said ahead of the meeting that Putin and Trump wanted to move on from “abnormal relations” and that it saw no place for Europeans to be at any negotiating table.
Zelenskyy accused Washington of wanting “to please” Putin by “now saying things that are very favourable” to him. The Ukrainian president said any peace deal would need to include “robust and reliable” security guarantees, which France and Britain have called for but not all European powers support.
Updated
