19 Feb 2025

USA and Russia Hold Talks about Ukraine but Shut Out Ukraine and Europe

by Bonnie | | 0

Teams from the USA and Russia held talks in Saudi Arabia about ending the war in Ukraine, but did not allow Ukraine or Europe to attend. Donald Trump had already offered Russia nearly everything it wanted, so there was little to negotiate.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio led the USA team. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov led the Russian team. Both Ukraine and Europe said they needed to be involved in any peace talks. The USA and Russia publicly said Ukraine was invited to the talks, but it was untrue. Ukraine and Europe were shut out.

During the few days before the meeting, UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer had publicly offered to send troops to the Ukrainian border after any peace deal.

Russia reiterated that it wants to keep all Ukrainian territory it has taken, wants Ukraine blocked from ever joining NATO, and will not accept the presence of troops from any NATO country to monitor the peace. Between the lines, it appeared Russia urgently needs relief from global sanctions raised since it invaded Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 and then further invaded in February 2022.

Russia and the USA agreed to restaff their embassies in each other’s countries, which will help end Russia’s isolation.

Donald Trump said Ukraine should have to give up all territory Russia has taken, all territory it has taken from Russia in return, and half its mineral wealth to the USA as compensation for support it has received. Trump added that Ukraine’s president Zelensky is a dictator with low approval ratings, and that the war is Ukraine’s fault and they should never have started it.

The war started with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky’s approval rating is 57%, not the 4% stated by Trump.

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