Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised the outcome of the Russia-U.S. meeting held in Saudi Arabia, which aimed to end the Ukraine war. He also stated that Ukraine would not be excluded from the discussions. Putin made these remarks on Wednesday, a day after the Russia-U.S. meeting in Riyadh.
“Trust Between Russia and the U.S. is Essential”
In his first comments on the meeting, the Russian president stated, “Solving many problems, including the Ukrainian crisis, is impossible without increasing trust between Russia and the United States.” He further explained that the goal of the meeting was to build confidence between the two nations.
The meeting, held on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia’s capital, did not include representatives from Ukraine or European governments. This exclusion has raised serious concerns among Ukraine and its European allies, who fear that Russia and the U.S. may reach an agreement that disregards their crucial interests.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that his country will not accept any agreement without Ukraine’s participation. In response, Putin clarified that Russia had never rejected discussions with Kyiv or European nations. Instead, he claimed that they were the ones who refused to negotiate with Moscow.
“We are not imposing anything on anyone. I have said hundreds of times that if they want, we are ready. Let these discussions take place, and we are ready to return to the negotiation table,” Putin said.
He further added, “No one is excluding Ukraine. There is no need to react hysterically to U.S.-Russia talks.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky held a press conference on Wednesday regarding the U.S.-Russia meeting. He stated, “We want security guarantees this year because we want to end the war this year.”