U.S. President Donald Trump is making significant concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of upcoming negotiations in Saudi Arabia concerning Ukraine, reports CNN.
"Vladimir Putin is eagerly anticipating the crucial U.S.-Russia talks on February 18 in Saudi Arabia regarding the cessation of the Ukraine war. The Trump administration has ended the international isolation of the Russian president, disrupted Western unity on the conflict, and cast doubt on how far the U.S. will go to defend Europe, signaling a surprising shift toward Putin and distancing from America's traditional allies.
In their initial steps in Europe, contradictory statements from Trump's aides have also raised concerns that the U.S. president might accept any deal with Putin, even if it's detrimental to Ukraine and the continent, whose borders are once again threatened by Russian expansion," the article states.
France has invited key leaders to an emergency meeting in Paris.
Trump has also sparked fears that Ukraine itself might not be part of negotiations crucial to its survival as a nation, after its authoritarian neighbor invaded its sovereign territory, leading to war crimes, civilian casualties, and devastation.
Earlier, Trump mentioned the possibility of meeting with Putin "very soon."
He told reporters in Florida, "We are moving forward. We are trying to establish peace with Russia and Ukraine, and we are working hard on it."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he "will never accept any decision between the U.S. and Russia regarding Ukraine." Trump gave an ambiguous assurance that he "will participate."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, under President Vladimir Putin's directive, are heading to Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, for negotiations with U.S. representatives, reports TASS.
The meeting will focus on restoring relations between Moscow and Washington, stated Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov during a briefing.
"Today, under President Putin's directive, Foreign Minister Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov are departing for Riyadh. They are expected to meet with their American counterparts there, and the meeting will primarily focus on restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations," said the Kremlin representative.
The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that during Joe Biden's presidency, who preceded Donald Trump as U.S. president, Russian-American relations reached their lowest point. As Peskov noted, the initiative for their improvement should come from the American administration.
The U.S. limits Russian diplomats' work terms to three years and regularly denies visas to both diplomatic staff and official delegations attending international events, including those under the UN. Since 2016, over 850 Russian diplomats have been expelled on false grounds, diplomatic property has been seized, and consulates in Seattle and San Francisco have been closed.
