U.S. and Russian officials to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine war without Ukraine's involvement

Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss improving relations and negotiating an end to the Ukraine war. This is the first significant meeting since Russia's invasion nearly three years ago. Ukraine will not participate in the talks. The discussions follow a recent call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling a shift in U.S. policy towards Russia. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concerns about the absence of Ukrainian officials in the negotiations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the talks aim to restore U.S.-Russian relations and prepare for a potential meeting between the two presidents. He ruled out any territorial concessions by Russia, while Ukraine insists on being involved in any peace discussions.