High-ranking officials from the United States and Russia, including their lead diplomats, are set to engage in discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral relations and addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This meeting, as announced by the Kremlin on Monday, represents the most significant dialogue between the two nations since Russia’s large-scale invasion nearly three years ago.

Scheduled for Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, these negotiations are part of a strategic shift by the Trump administration to alter U.S. policy regarding Russia’s isolation. The discussions aim to lay groundwork for a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The developments have prompted Kyiv and its crucial allies to expedite their efforts to assert their influence, leading France to convene an emergency gathering of EU nations and the UK to strategize a response to this U.S. initiative.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov will depart for the Saudi capital later in the day. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will engage with the Russian delegates, as announced by State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. It is notable that Ukraine will not be part of these discussions.

Peskov indicated that the primary focus of the talks will be “reestablishing the full spectrum of U.S.-Russian relations, as well as preparing for potential discussions on achieving a resolution in Ukraine and organizing a meeting between the two presidents.”

During an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Witkoff expressed that he and Waltz would be “conducting meetings as directed by the president,” hoping to achieve “substantial progress regarding Russia and Ukraine.”

Witkoff refrained from confirming whether Ukraine would be expected to concede “a significant portion” of its territory in any negotiated settlement. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated last week that NATO membership for Ukraine is an unrealistic expectation and recommended that Kyiv should temper its hopes of reclaiming all territory lost to Russia — points that align closely with Putin’s agenda.

Lavrov and former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a brief conversation at a G-20 meeting in India nearly two years ago. Their exchange lasted about 10 minutes and did not indicate any progress toward alleviating the longstanding tensions between their nations. Previously, in the fall of 2022, U.S. and Russian intelligence chiefs met in Turkey.

The impending talks come on the heels of a recent phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin, where they “agreed to initiate negotiations through our respective teams immediately.” This dialogue marks a significant departure from years of U.S. policy aimed at isolating Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Following this call, Trump contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to brief him on the conversation.

Trump mentioned to reporters on Sunday that Zelenskyy “will be involved” in the process, although he did not provide additional details. Zelenskyy later clarified on Monday that his country has not received an invitation to the upcoming discussions and warned that Ukraine would not accept any outcomes that do not include its participation. This approach to peace negotiations has been a cornerstone of U.S. policy under Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden.

During a conference call from the United Arab Emirates, Zelenskyy stated that the meeting would likely “produce no tangible results” in light of the lack of Ukrainian representation. He also noted plans to visit Turkey on Monday and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, clarifying that his trip to Saudi Arabia was not connected to the scheduled U.S.-Russia talks. Andriy Yermak, a senior adviser to Zelenskyy, emphasized that direct meetings between Ukrainian and Russian representatives cannot occur “until we devise a plan” for ending the conflict and achieving a “just peace.”

European Union officials have advocated for the bloc’s involvement in any peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, with Zelenskyy and his team insisting on the necessity of Europe’s presence in the discussions.

In response to inquiries about a potential European role, Lavrov appeared dismissive, stating, “I don’t see what they would contribute to the negotiations.”