White House Greets ‘Monumental’ Talks with Moscow

The White House has indicated that discussions with Russia are contributing to resolving the Ukraine conflict. Read Full Article at RT.com.

White House Greets ‘Monumental’ Talks with Moscow
The meeting in Riyadh marked a significant milestone for peace efforts in Ukraine, according to Donald Trump’s spokeswoman.

The discussions between American and Russian officials in Riyadh were described by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt as a “truly monumental step” towards resolving the Ukraine conflict. Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, Leavitt highlighted the meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which aimed to establish a foundation for lasting peace between Moscow and Kiev. The talks also focused on the normalization of relations between Russia and the US, which had been effectively halted by the Biden administration in 2022 as part of its strategy to “isolate” Moscow internationally.

Leavitt stated, “This is a truly monumental step towards peace in the Russia-Ukraine war,” and criticized former President Joe Biden for neglecting diplomatic efforts in favor of a strategy relying on pressure against Russia. “The previous administration had no negotiations, no discussions, really no diplomacy in this effort,” she added.

Relations between the US and Russia have been minimal in the three years since the Biden administration cut most ties and imposed extensive sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict. During his campaign, Trump committed to directly negotiating with Russia and prioritizing “saving lives.”

Following a 4.5-hour meeting, Lavrov announced that both parties agreed to work towards gradually restoring ties and removing the “artificial barriers” established by the Biden administration.

In light of the talks, Ukrainian and EU officials expressed surprise at the negotiations in Riyadh, as well as at Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced frustration over the meeting occurring without his consent, emphasizing that Kiev would not accept any negotiations held “without Ukraine.”

On Tuesday, Trump contended that Ukraine had missed its chance to secure a potentially better deal with Russia after the conflict erupted in February 2022, leaving them in no position to voice complaints.

Leavitt assured that the US continues to maintain contact with its European allies and Kiev. “We are ensuring that all parties are heard,” she said.

Russia has maintained that any resolution must tackle the “root causes” of the crisis, citing NATO’s expansion in Europe since the 1990s and Ukraine's ambitions to join the US-led military alliance. Putin has stated that Ukraine needs to become a neutral state and abandon claims to Crimea and four other regions that voted to join Russia after 2014.

Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News