U.S. and Russian Officials Meet in Saudi Arabia to End Ukraine War

U.S. and Russian officials have gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the Ukraine war.

According to the BBC, the meeting is taking place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The U.S. team includes Secretary of State Mark Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also arrived for the talks. However, Ukraine and other European countries have not been invited.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the phone. He emphasized that Ukraine needs strong and reliable security guarantees and called for lasting peace. Macron also urged Russia to stop its attacks on Ukraine.