U.S. and Russia to appoint negotiators for Ukraine conflict after talks in Saudi Arabia

The U.S. and Russia have agreed to form high-level teams to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict. This decision follows a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Saudi Arabia. The talks, the first since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, did not include Ukraine or the EU. Russia emphasized the need for a reorganization of European defense agreements, while the U.S. stated that concessions will be necessary for peace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, not invited to the talks, expressed that he would not recognize any agreements made without Ukraine's involvement. European leaders are concerned about potential concessions to Russia and the implications for regional security.