Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has revealed that preparations are in progress for a direct meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The negotiations, which would be centered on the current war in Ukraine, could also involve discussions on other global issues.

Speaking to Russian state media in a statement, Ryabkov emphasized that the summit would target the normalization of relations between Washington and Moscow. “The question is about starting to move toward normalizing relations between our states, to figure out how to resolve the most acute and perhaps very, very risky situations, of which there are quite a few, including Ukraine,” he stated.

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He further made it clear that the summit remains in its infancy stages and that it would involve “the most intensive preparatory work” prior to taking place. Russian and American envoys can potentially meet “in the course of the next fortnight” in order to make preparations for potential high-level negotiations, reports Tass.

Breakthrough Talks in Riyadh

This came after a top-level summit between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, where the two sides concurred to start working towards ending the war in Ukraine and enhancing diplomatic and economic ties. The changed US foreign policy under Trump is a major turn in Washington’s approach since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Three Major Agreements Between Russia and the US

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement to the Associated Press following the Riyadh negotiations, described three key points on which both countries concurred:

  • Restoring high-level staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow.
  • Establishing a dedicated team to support Ukraine peace talks.
  • Exploring potential economic cooperation between the US and Russia.

The talks were joined by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and top officials from both parties. Although Rubio recognized advancements, he insisted on more measures needed to improve diplomatic relations. Lavrov, however, characterized the meeting as “very useful.”

Ukraine and European Allies React

Interestingly, no Ukrainian officials were in attendance at the Riyadh conference. As the war enters its fourth year, Ukraine still remains on the defensive against Russian military, although Kyiv has more recently retaken portions of the Kursk province.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that his government will not acknowledge any deal negotiated in discussions if it wasn’t part of it. In response to the negotiations, he delayed his planned visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

At the same time, Ukraine’s European partners protested that they could be excluded from important negotiations of the conflict’s settlement. Along with diplomatic discussions, the whole world is carefully observing whether Trump-Putin’s suggested summit happens and how much it will shape the global environment.