Russian officials to discuss Ukraine war in Saudi Arabia

Top US and Russian officials are set to meet on Tuesday in Riyadh for what are expected to be the most significant talks between the two former Cold War foes on ending Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The conversation could pave the way for a summit between President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The talks come after European leaders gathered in Paris on Monday for an emergency summit to agree a unified strategy after they were blindsided by Trump's push for immediate talks after a phone call with Putin last week.

The European leaders said they would invest more in defence and take the lead in providing security guarantees for Ukraine.

"Everyone feels the great sense of urgency," Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on X. "At this crucial time for the security of Europe we must continue to stand behind Ukraine."

"Europe will have to make a contribution towards safeguarding any agreement, and cooperation with the Americans is essential," he said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to Putin, in Riyadh, officials from both sides said.

The meeting comes barely a month after Trump took office and reflects a significant departure from Washington's position under the administration of President Joe Biden, who eschewed public contacts, concluding that Russia was not serious about ending the war.

Russia, which has occupied parts of Ukraine since 2014, launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Trump has vowed to end the war quickly.

Ukraine says no agreements can be made on its behalf in the talks, to which Kyiv was not invited.