Talks between top U.S. and Russian officials are underway at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focusing on the potential restoration of diplomatic relations and exploring ways to achieve a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine.

Russian Perspective
Before the meeting, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, expressed hope that the U.S. would carefully consider Moscow’s position. Dmitriev, who played a key role in early U.S.-Russia contacts during Trump’s presidency, is part of the Russian delegation.

Speaking briefly to journalists outside the main meeting room, Dmitriev predicted progress in U.S.-Russia economic relations within three months. Citing Russian state media, he also claimed that American businesses have lost over $300 billion due to their exit from the Russian market after the Ukraine invasion.

According to BBC Monitoring’s Russia editor, Vitaly Shevchenko, Dmitriev has close ties to Vladimir Putin’s family. His wife studied alongside Putin’s daughter, Katerina Tikhonova, at Moscow State University and later served as Tikhonova’s deputy at a lucrative innovation-focused institution. Dmitriev was also involved in negotiations for the release of American teacher Marc Fogel.

U.S. Perspective
American officials clarified that this meeting is not the start of formal negotiations but a preliminary effort to assess whether Russia is serious about ending hostilities. Meanwhile, Moscow has emphasized that its priority is the gradual normalization of relations with the U.S.

Delegations

Russian Representatives:

• Sergey Lavrov – Foreign Minister, representing Russia on the global stage for over 20 years.
• Yuri Ushakov – Putin’s foreign policy adviser, formerly Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.

U.S. Representatives:

• Marco Rubio – Secretary of State, known for his hawkish foreign policy stance.
• Mike Waltz – National Security Advisor, a military veteran and long-time Trump supporter.
• Steve Witkoff – Middle East envoy, real estate mogul and Trump confidant.

Host Representatives:

• Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud – Saudi Foreign Minister.
• Musaed bin Mohammed al-Aiban – National Security Advisor of Saudi Arabia.

At the head of the table, the Saudi hosts are facilitating discussions between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The primary focus is restoring diplomatic communication between Washington and Moscow, with the ultimate goal of setting the stage for peace talks that could end the Ukraine conflict.

Absence of Ukraine

The exclusion of Kyiv and European leaders from the talks has sparked strong reactions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made it clear that his country “cannot recognize any agreement made about us without us.” Today, he is in Turkey.

Iran in the Background

Meanwhile, Russia’s Tass news agency reported that the talks will not affect Moscow’s cooperation with Tehran. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia remains committed to supporting Iran in resolving issues related to its nuclear program.

U.S. Position and Global Expectations

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters in Riyadh that the discussions are a “first step” in assessing Russia’s readiness for a peace process. “This meeting is about understanding whether there is a foundation—whether this initial step can lead to real negotiations and whether interests can find common ground,” she said.

For its part, the Kremlin hinted that discussions will not be limited to Ukraine but will cover the entire spectrum of U.S.-Russia relations. The possibility of a future meeting between Presidents Putin and Trump may also be on the table, depending on progress in diplomatic efforts.

These high-stakes talks in Riyadh come at a critical moment, with the international community closely watching for any breakthrough that could pave the way toward ending one of the most devastating conflicts in modern European history.