The key outcome of the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Riyadh could be an initial agreement on the framework for resolving the Ukraine conflict, according to Dmitry Sushlov, Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at HSE and an expert at the Valdai Club.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov were traveling to Riyadh to discuss US-Russia relations and prepare for potential Ukraine negotiations and the leaders’ meeting. Sushlov noted that Trump is determined to bring the most challenging aspects of the Ukraine settlement to the table.
These include a ceasefire agreement, the potential deployment of a peacekeeping force, and Ukraine’s post-war status. "The most substantive agreement that could emerge from the Riyadh talks would be preliminary terms for a final resolution—tentative understandings on the most complex issues, as well as a timeline for ending hostilities," Sushlov explained. He emphasized that a fundamental question remains: "Can a ceasefire be reached before all disputes over demilitarization, security guarantees, territorial borders, and sanctions are resolved, or will the conflict continue until these matters are fully settled?"
Sushlov believes that these issues are too complex for Lavrov and Ushakov to resolve independently, making a presidential-level decision necessary. "The key goal of tomorrow’s negotiations in Riyadh is to establish what can be agreed upon before direct presidential involvement and to prepare for the leaders’ summit," he concluded.
Preparations for the Meeting
Putin and Trump discussed the potential meeting during a phone call on February 12. Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to meet with Putin, mentioning it during his 2024 campaign and immediately after his inauguration on January 20. Following their call, Trump suggested Riyadh as a possible venue. The last in-person meeting between the two leaders took place at the G20 summit in Osaka in June 2019.
CNN has reported that US and Russian delegations are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on February 18. The American side will be represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy for the Middle East Stephen Witkoff. Rubio has already arrived in the kingdom.
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Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS