US and Russia hold first face-to-face talks on Ukraine in nearly three years

The U.S. and Russia held their first face-to-face talks on Ukraine in nearly three years, meeting for over five hours in Riyadh. They agreed to establish a framework for future negotiations, although Russia noted that significant differences remain. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov led the discussions, which excluded Ukraine and the European Union. Both sides acknowledged the need to consider each other's interests moving forward. The talks also aimed to normalize diplomatic relations and address ongoing tensions. Russia rejected the idea of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, emphasizing its opposition to any escalation in the conflict.