U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Riyadh on Monday, marking the beginning of peace talks with Russian officials regarding the Ukraine crisis. Notably, the discussions exclude key players Ukraine and Europe.
Joining Rubio are U.S. Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Representing Russia will be Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that Ukraine will not participate in the talks and will reject any outcomes that do not include Ukraine. While currently in the United Arab Emirates, Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to engage in discussions aimed at lowering oil prices, distancing these efforts from the US-Russia negotiations.
European leaders have expressed concern over their exclusion from the talks. French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting in Paris with NATO leaders and representatives from key European nations to coordinate a unified response to the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Russia.
Chen Yu, deputy director of the Eurasian Institute at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, highlighted that Europe views Ukraine as a core interest. He emphasized that bypassing Europe in the peace process could undermine European interests and potentially lead to a resolution that neglects the concerns of both Ukraine and Europe, while also risking the further expansion of Russian influence in the West.
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U.S.-Russia peace talks omit key players: Ukraine and Europe
cgtn.com
