Four Hours Negotiated In Riyadh, US-Russia Agree To Continue Discussion On Ending War In Ukraine

The impact of the Russian attack on Ukraine/DOK PHOTO via Instagram @zelenskyy_official

JAKARTA - The United States and Russia agreed in Riyadh to continue efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

US State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said the two sides agreed to appoint each high-level team to start trying to end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that lasts a long, sustainable, and acceptable to all parties.

Russian negotiator Yuri Ushakov told reporters after more than four hours of negotiations.

"It was a very serious conversation on all the questions we wanted to discuss," he said.

Ukrainian and European leaders fear President Donald Trump will soon make a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin who ignores their security interests, reward Moscow for their invasion and allow Putin to freely threaten Ukraine or other countries in the future.

Even as gatherings in the Saudi Arabian capital are underway, Russia hints at the harder their demands.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow it was "not enough" for NATO not to recognize Ukraine as its member."

Zakharova said the alliance had to go further by breaking promises made at the summit in Bukares in 2008, Kyiv would join at an undetermined time in the future.

Otherwise, this issue will continue to poison the atmosphere of the European continent, he said. There has been no immediate response from Ukraine, NATO or United States members.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy consistently demands NATO membership as the only way to ensure Kyiv's sovereignty and independence from neighboring countries that have nuclear weapons.

US spokesman Bruce said in a statement: "President Trump wants to stop killings; the United States wants peace and uses its power in the world to unite countries. President Trump is the only leader in the world who can make Ukraine and Russia agree to that."

He said the two sides also agreed to consult to address "problems" in their bilateral relationship, which the Kremlin described as under zero' in Joe Biden's previous administration in the US.

Ushakov, as quoted by the Interfax news agency, said the terms of the meeting between Trump and Putin had been discussed, although he said it was unlikely to happen next week.

Talks in Saudi Arabia, which has friendly relations with the two countries, underscore the rapid US efforts to stop the war, less than a month after Trump took office and six days after he spoke by telephone with Putin.

Critics say Trump's team is putting aside NATO membership in Ukraine.

Ushakov said Kyiv's desire to retake his entire lost territory was just an illusion, having made a big concession before. US officials say they only recognize the reality.

Ukraine says no peace agreement can be made on behalf of Ukraine. "We, as sovereign countries, will not be able to accept any agreement without us," Zelenskiy said last week.