Russian and U.S. officials are set to meet for a second round of talks aimed at finding a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
Following their first meeting in over three years, held on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, Moscow and Washington discussed potential steps toward ending the nearly three-year-long conflict.
According to Russia’s foreign minister, the next meeting will take place in a neutral third country within the next two weeks, and the location has already been agreed upon.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that both sides had reached a “principled agreement” to continue consultations addressing key points of contention.
“There is also an understanding that department heads will hold preliminary consultations before the deputy-level discussions, which could take place within the next two weeks,” Ryabkov added.
Trump calls on Zelensky and Putin to meet for peace talks
Donald Trump has called on Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin to meet and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on Friday evening, the former U.S. president said, “I think President Putin and President Zelensky need to sit down together. Because, in the end, we want to stop the killing of millions of people.”
Trump dismissed reports that he would attend Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9, an event no U.S. president has attended since 1995.
Putin ‘Preparing for Western Reintegration’
Vladimir Putin has directed his cabinet to prepare for the return of Western companies to Russia, emphasizing that domestic firms should retain “certain advantages” over those re-entering the market.
His directive follows discussions between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, where they explored the “unique” economic opportunities that could emerge from an end to the war in Ukraine.
According to the Financial Times, this marks the first clear sign that the Kremlin is seriously considering welcoming back Western businesses after hundreds exited Russia following the onset of the conflict.
Russia has reportedly captured another village in eastern Ukraine. According to the state-run RIA news agency, Russian forces have taken control of Novolyubivka in the Luhansk region. The claim has not been independently verified.
