Ukrainian officials have raised alarms over planned negotiations between the U.S. and Russian representatives, stressing that any discussions about the conflict should not proceed without Ukraine’s participation. An aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed concern that bypassing Kyiv in the talks could lead to outcomes that do not reflect Ukraine's interests and may undermine peace efforts.
Recent developments include announcements that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with key figures from the Russian delegation in Riyadh. On the Russian side, officials such as Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to focus on restoring Russian-American relations and preparing for negotiations regarding Ukraine.
President Zelenskiy has publicly stated that any agreement made without Ukraine’s participation would be ineffective, signaling his intent to actively question the exclusion during his upcoming visit to Riyadh. With Ukraine sidelined from critical discussions, concerns are mounting that decisions made might not fully address the complexities of the conflict, potentially worsening the situation on the ground.