Russia rejects NATO troops in Ukraine after US talks, Lavrov says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia will not accept NATO peacekeeping forces in Ukraine after talks with the US in Saudi Arabia. This meeting marked the first face-to-face discussions since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Both countries agreed to form teams to negotiate an end to the conflict. Lavrov emphasized that NATO's expansion, including Ukraine's potential membership, poses a direct threat to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern over being excluded from the talks, stating that decisions about Ukraine should not be made without its involvement.