In a defiant response to the rapidly unfolding US-Russia peace initiative in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that his country will not recognize any agreements about the war made without its participation. As top officials from Washington and Moscow descended on Riyadh for talks aimed at ending the nearly three-year conflict, Zelenskyy emphasized that “Ukraine regards any negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine as ones that have no result.”
High-Stakes Diplomacy Leaves Europe on Sidelines
The surprise Saudi peace initiative, which emerged after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, has sent shockwaves through Europe. The EU and other European powers have been notably excluded from the negotiations, sparking fears of being sidelined in the aftermath of any potential deal.
In a sign of the talks’ significance, both the US and Russia are dispatching heavyweight delegations:
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday
- Russia’s top diplomats Yuri Ushakov and Sergei Lavrov are en route
- White House national security adviser Mike Waltz is also attending
Zelenskyy: Europe Must Have a Seat at the Table
While asserting that Ukraine will reject any deal made without it, Zelenskyy also stressed the importance of European involvement. Speaking from the United Arab Emirates, he said Europe “has to be at the table for negotiations” and should be represented by a “person respected in Europe.”
We are waiting for Kellogg. We had an agreement that he would come to us on the 20th. He will be there for two days and maybe more. I want to go to the front with him and he will go to the front with me.
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy on US envoy Keith Kellogg’s upcoming Kyiv visit
Russia Rules Out Territorial Concessions
On the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made clear that Moscow has no intention of making territorial concessions to Ukraine during the Saudi talks. Russia declared the annexation of four Ukrainian regions in September 2022, despite not fully controlling them militarily.
The Kremlin also appeared to soften its stance on the idea of European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, a key part of the US proposal. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it a “complex issue” rather than rejecting it outright as in the past.
Europe Scrambles to Avoid Being Left Behind
The breakneck pace of the US-Russia diplomacy has set off alarm bells across Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting in Paris as leaders grapple with the prospect of a settlement that excludes them.
We feel like we’re constantly left in the dark. At the moment, we’re running behind the news. Our goal now is to show what we can bring to the table.
– Senior European official on the Saudi talks
Despite the diplomatic frenzy, key details about Trump’s proposed peace plan and Russia’s willingness to engage remain unknown. But the sudden flurry of activity after years of stalemate suggests that the gears may finally be turning toward an endgame in Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.
