Putin confirms Ukraine WILL be included in future peace talks as Moscow welcomes Russia-US discussions
Vladimir Putin has welcomed the outcome of recent Russia-US discussions in Riyadh, while promising Ukraine will not be excluded from future peace negotiations.
The Russian president’s comments follow crucial talks held in the Saudi capital, where Ukrainian representatives were notably absent from the discussions.
Putin sought to reassure concerns about Ukraine’s exclusion, emphasising that both Moscow and Washington expect Ukraine’s participation in the peace process.
The talks, lasting four and a half hours, took place on Tuesday in Riyadh.
The meetings notably excluded both Ukrainian and European government representatives from the discussions.
The absence of key stakeholders raised immediate questions about the comprehensive nature of the peace negotiations.
Putin directly addressed Ukraine’s future involvement, stating: “The US assume both Russia and Ukraine will take part in the negotiating process.”
The Russian leader also expressed enthusiasm about future discussions with Donald Trump.
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“It will be a pleasure to meet Donald… during the four years he was president [we] had very straight discussions on our bilateral relations,” Putin told reporters.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, labelling him a “dictator” on his Truth Social platform.
The former US president accused Zelensky of convincing America to spend £280billion on what he termed an “unwinnable war”.
In his social media tirade, Trump criticised the “moderately successful” comedian-turned-president.
The remarks come as Trump takes a leading role in regional peace efforts.
Trump, who has returned to the White House, has promised to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours.
The president insisted the Ukrainian leader should have pursued peace negotiations earlier and agreed to concessions with the Kremlin.
His involvement comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict through international negotiations.