The war between Ukraine and Russia has been ongoing since February 2022, when Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion. After more than three years of conflict, the United States is increasing its efforts to help facilitate a ceasefire and end the war.
As part of these efforts, U.S. and Ukrainian officials recently met in Saudi Arabia for a negotiation session that reportedly lasted for eight hours. The discussions seemed to be productive—significantly more so than the tense talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House last month.
Following the talks, the U.S. and Ukraine issued a joint statement outlining their goal to secure a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. Trump later supported this goal, warning of severe consequences if Moscow refused to comply.
“We could do things that would be very bad for Russia,” Trump told reporters. “It would be devastating for Russia, but I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace.”
In addition to seeking a ceasefire, the U.S. also committed to resuming military aid and security assistance to Ukraine. However, discussions surrounding a potential raw minerals trade deal remain unresolved.
While the U.S. and Ukraine have maintained close communication throughout this process, Russia has expressed frustration over being left out of the negotiations.
In an interview with pro-Kremlin U.S. bloggers, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the peace talks, accusing the West of deliberately sidelining Russia.
“Nobody is talking to us,” Lavrov said, according to the New York Post. “They keep saying, ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,’ but they’re doing everything about Russia without Russia.”
Lavrov also emphasized that Russia would not sign any agreements that could put its people at risk. He reiterated Moscow’s strong opposition to NATO forces entering Ukraine, declaring that such a move would be unacceptable “under any conditions.”
Ukraine has long sought NATO membership, a goal that Russia has vehemently opposed. Moscow is reportedly pushing to prevent any foreign military presence in Ukraine as a condition for a peace deal, according to Reuters.
Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to be seeking international recognition of Russia’s claim over Crimea, a region that was part of the Soviet Union before Ukraine became independent.
Despite Lavrov’s complaints about being excluded from the negotiations, reports indicate that Russia recently presented the U.S. with a list of demands, challenging the idea that it has been entirely left out of the talks.
These demands mirror those made by Russia during talks with the Biden administration in 2021 and 2022. However, those discussions ultimately broke down, and Russia went ahead with its invasion in February 2022.
With these conflicting statements and ongoing tensions, it remains unclear whether Putin is genuinely open to a ceasefire or whether he intends to prolong the conflict.