Russia’s war in Ukraine has reached a sudden critical stage this week as talks begin between political leaders across the globe to decide on the future of the conflict.
The panicked peace talks have kicked off following US president Donald Trump’s decision to push for a deal with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the fighting in Ukraine.
Speaking before the weekend, the US leader, early into his once-removed second term, said he had a “great” phone call with Putin, leading to a “good possibility of ending that horrible, very bloody war.”
Trump later told reporters that his administration “does not believe that Nato membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” adding that security for the country “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops.”
His comments took European leaders by surprise. Many are now faced with a decision whether to get behind Trump’s plan or continue with the approach they have carefully managed for nearly three years.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has wasted no time in backing the move, pledging for the first time to put “troops on the ground if necessary.” Writing in The Telegraph, he said Europe is facing a “once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent.”
His comments will likely be welcomed by Vladimir Zelensky, who said on Saturday that the continent should form an “army of Europe.” However, the Ukrainian president has expressed dissatisfaction at the possibility of being left in the dark as US and Russian officials discuss peace in his country.
The situation has culminated in several key talks set to take place in the same week. On Monday, European leaders gathered for ‘informal’ talks in Paris where tensions appeared to arise. On Tuesday, a US delegation meets with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to go over terms of the possible peace deal.
Here are all the key events, explained:
US meets Russia in Saudi Arabia
A US delegation led by secretary of state Marco Rubio is in Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian officials on Tuesday. Joining him are Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and national security adviser Mike Waltz.
They are meeting Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said they will focus on “restoring the entire complex of U.S.-Russian relations, as well as preparing possible talks on the Ukrainian settlement and organizing a meeting of the two presidents.”
The event marks a major reversal of the Biden-era US policy to isolate Russia. As both sides indicate, they could pave the way for a meeting between Trump and Putin. The pair last met in Helsinki in 2018 during Trump’s first presidential term.
Details of the deal that the two presidents could strike have yet to be published, but the US has indicated how it will approach the talks. Speaking to reporters last week, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said firstly that Europe must provide an “overwhelming” proportion of the funding for Ukraine.
Since Russia’s invasion, the US has been Ukraine’s largest military and financial backer and spends 3.4 per cent of its GDP on defence. Hegseth says the country will no longer “tolerate an imbalanced relationship” with Europe in supporting Ukraine.
He went on to tell reporters returning Ukraine to its pre-2014 borders and that Nato membership for the country are both “unrealistic” goals. Mr Hegseth added that any European troops deployed as part of peacekeeping operations must should be there on a non-Nato mission, which would not trigger the alliance’s mutual defence clause.
President Trump has also said that Ukraine has “essentially agreed” to to give the US $500bn worth of rare earth minerals to pay for financial and military support.
Why Saudi Arabia?
Saudi officials have indicated that they will not be a passive host at the talks in Riyadh, but act to mediate between the two delegations. Their team will be led by the country’s national security adviser.
The country’s 39-year-old effective leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has a strong relationship with both Putin and Trump, putting him – and Saudi Arabia – in a unique position.
The country has risen in prominence and wealth since the 1973 oil crisis, which saw the price of oil rise dramatically….
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