The meeting of the US-Russia delegation in Saudi Arabia has a great impact not only on Ukraine

According to RIA Novosti on February 18, American political scientist Konstantin Blokhin in a conversation with RIA Novosti said that the talks between high-ranking delegations of Russia and the United States in Saudi Arabia today (February 18) are of great importance, considering the prospects of preparing for the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. The two delegations may touch on global issues, mainly the Ukraine issue and technical issues rather than granting an agreement to the Russian ambassador in Washington.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakhov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Riyadh on the evening of February 17, where they will meet with representatives from the US. Earlier, Foreign Minister Lavrov stressed that the Russian side wants to “listen” to its US negotiating partners at the meeting.

Political scientist Blokhin believes that, despite the fact that the meeting was held as a temporary meeting, in fact it is the key to solving many problems. Because future meetings between the leaders of the two countries will depend a lot on this meeting. Because at the level of these delegations, a number of issues will be specifically resolved.

In Blokhin’s view, the meeting will discuss global issues, including Ukraine and possibly the Middle East, depending on where the talks take place. But it is also likely that more technical issues such as the re-accreditation of Russia’s ambassador to the United States will be discussed.

“The preconditions are good. How the dialogue will be conducted behind closed doors – there are many issues – no one knows. But the US position on Ukraine has shifted from causing a strategic defeat under former President Joe Biden to freezing the conflict under current President Donald Trump. Again, the question is what terms the meeting will be on, and how the negotiations will end on February 18. But in any case, the meeting is key, and it will serve as the basis for a meeting between Trump and Putin in the near future,” said political scientist Blokhin.

Previously, on February 17, in an online press conference with Ukrainian journalists from Abu Dhabi, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would not recognize the results of the negotiations between the US and Russia in Saudi Arabia.

“Ukraine will not participate in the negotiations. Ukraine knows nothing about the negotiations between the United States and Russia. And Ukraine does not consider any results of the negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine valuable. We cannot recognize anything or any agreement about us without us. Perhaps there is a bilateral path between them. And the United States has the right to do this, if they have bilateral issues. In fact, they mentioned this before. Only now they have started it publicly,” Ukrinform quoted President Zelensky as saying.

According to Mr. Zelensky, the Ukrainian delegation will make an official visit to Saudi Arabia, but it will not be related to the meeting between the US and Russian delegations. "Of course, I will ask King Mohammed bin Salman when I am in Saudi Arabia what he knows about this. I am just curious," Mr. Zelensky added.