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Diplomatic efforts are underway in Saudi Arabia as United States and Russian officials begin talks aimed at bringing peace in Eastern Europe.
The meeting – held in Riyadh – was spearheaded by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, under the direction of President Donald Trump, whose goal is to bring peace between Russia and Ukraine.
However, Ukrainian officials were not present at Tuesday’s meeting in Saudi Arabia, Fox News reported.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff are also part of this negotiation and were present at the meeting on Tuesday.
Secretary Rubio addressed the importance of the meeting and noted while discussing the proceedings with the media that for the past three and a half years, “no one else has been able to bring something together like what we saw today because Donald Trump is the only leader in the world that can.”
He acknowledged Ukraine’s absence, as well, adding, “no one is being sidelined here.”
Rubio said the process had begun toward peace, but “a lot of work remains before we have a result.”
Following the meeting on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the meeting was “quite a success” and said he “felt great attitude and willingness of our American counterparts to push this forward actively and we’re going to do the same.”
According to Reuters, Lavrov made hardline demands during the meeting on Tuesday, including his insistence that Moscow would not allow NATO troops to be deployed in the region, calling it “unacceptable.”
Secretary Rubio further acknowledged the European Union would need to partake in the negotiations in the future, although it is unclear when that will happen, per the outlet.
President Donald Trump’s commitment to ending the war in Europe is the fulfillment of a longstanding campaign promise to stop the global carnage unleashed during the Biden administration.
Mike Waltz told the press that Trump “has shifted the entire global conversation from not ‘if’ the war is going to end, but just ‘how’ it’s going to end. And only President Trump can do that.”
