Ukraine Denies Participation in Upcoming U.S.-Russia Talks in Saudi Arabia
Ukrainian advisor Mykhailo Podolyak denied Ukraine’s participation in planned U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, stating there are no relevant topics for discussion and that Russia is unprepared for negotiations. Conflicting reports suggested varying levels of Ukrainian involvement, but ultimately a Ukrainian delegation will not attend. The focus appears to be on U.S. and Russian officials discussing a potential leaders’ summit.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stated on February 15 that Ukraine will not take part in an upcoming meeting involving the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia. Podolyak emphasized, “There is nothing on the negotiating table that would be worth discussing,” and indicated that Russia is not prepared for negotiations.
Podolyak’s remarks come in light of mixed reports suggesting that representatives from Ukraine might attend negotiations in Riyadh. A report from Politico indicated that senior U.S. officials would hold discussions with Russian and Ukrainian representatives soon. However, a Ukrainian official confirmed that Kyiv was surprised by the meeting’s announcement and that there would be no Ukrainian delegation.
According to Bloomberg, the talks are expected to focus solely on U.S. and Russian officials, aiming to establish a foundation for a possible summit between President Trump and President Putin later this month. Trump previously expressed his readiness to meet Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss peace.
During his remarks, Podolyak described Russia’s potential strategy at the negotiations, suggesting they may seek to create a momentary pause to reorganize their military and mitigate sanctions. During the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky noted that he was unaware of any such meeting, stating, “The media printed something. I do not know what it is.”
Amid these conflicting narratives, the Kyiv Independent has been unable to confirm any details regarding the planned meetings in Riyadh, pointing to a lack of clarity surrounding the discussions.
In summary, Ukraine has officially denied participation in the upcoming Russia-U.S. talks in Saudi Arabia, citing a lack of substantive discussion points. This follows conflicting reports regarding the nature of the meeting, which is anticipated to focus on U.S. and Russian officials potentially paving the way for a future summit between the two nations’ leaders. The situation remains fluid and necessitates further verification regarding the proposed negotiations.
Original Source: kyivindependent.com
