Russian and US officials spent four hours in Saudi Arabia in talks delegations described as "positive" and a "first step", despite criticism from Ukraine and Europe over their lack of involvement.
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00:00U.S. and Russian officials have held talks in Saudi Arabia, aimed at improving bilateral
00:07relations and negotiating an end to Moscow's war in Ukraine.
00:12The meeting took place at the Deir Ezzor Palace in Riyadh, with delegations led by U.S. Secretary
00:18of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
00:23Following their discussion, Rubio said the U.S. will appoint a high-level team to conduct
00:28peace negotiations, adding that Europe would be a part of future talks.
00:33It begins by the end of this conflict.
00:36The first next step is working through our respective teams at the diplomatic side, just
00:42to ensure that our diplomatic missions can function.
00:44There's been a series of reciprocal actions taken over the last 10 years that have really
00:49diminished our ability to operate in Moscow, as an example, and they would argue their
00:52ability to operate in Washington.
00:54It's the first in-person discussion between senior officials from both countries, and
00:59is expected to pave the way for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian
01:04President Vladimir Putin, although no date has yet been set.
01:10Ukrainian officials were not present at the talks, and President Volodymyr Zelensky has
01:15said his country will not accept any outcome if Kiev is not included.
01:21U.S. Ukrainian defense official Yuri Sack remains optimistic Ukraine will eventually
01:26be invited to the negotiating table.
01:29Nothing can happen without our consent, so rest assured, and I think this is the position
01:35that has been reaffirmed by the United States directly, that Ukraine will be a party of
01:41these negotiations.
01:43The talks in Riyadh come amid Trump's decision to reverse U.S. policy on isolating Russia,
01:49following his phone call with Putin last Wednesday, in which he declared that both
01:53had agreed to start negotiations immediately.