U.S. officials meet Russian leaders in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine war peace talks

U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met with Russian leaders in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the Ukraine war. This marks the first direct talks since the conflict began in February 2022, but Ukraine was not represented. Rubio stated that only former President Trump could effectively facilitate peace talks. The U.S. and Russia agreed on four principles to reestablish diplomatic relations and discuss cooperation, but details on territorial issues remain unclear. Ukrainian President Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine must be involved in any peace agreement. He rejected any negotiations without Ukrainian participation and highlighted the need for security guarantees in the peace process.