US and Russian diplomats meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine conflict for first time since 2022

Top US and Russian diplomats will meet in Saudi Arabia for the first time since the Ukraine war began in February 2022. The talks aim to address the conflict, but Ukraine was not invited and expressed concerns about the discussions. US President Donald Trump is advocating for a quick resolution, though no specific plan has been proposed. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Moscow seeks bilateral talks with the US on broader security issues, not just Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to visit Saudi Arabia shortly after the talks but will not meet with US or Russian officials. Meanwhile, Russia has made recent battlefield gains, complicating the situation further.