Kyiv has not been invited to the pivotal talks between the US and Russia aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a senior Ukrainian government source revealed to the BBC. This development comes despite earlier statements from the US special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, suggesting that Kyiv would participate in the discussions scheduled for Monday in Saudi Arabia.
In addition to Ukraine, European leaders have also been excluded from these critical talks. They are set to convene separately in Paris at a summit organized by French President Emmanuel Macron, amid growing concerns that the continent is being sidelined in the peace negotiations. This separate meeting underscores the apprehension among European nations about being marginalized in discussions about the war.
The exclusion of key parties follows a tumultuous week marked by a significant shift in Washington's approach to the war in Ukraine. Steve Witkoff, the White House's Middle East envoy, confirmed his travel to Saudi Arabia for face-to-face talks between the US and Russia, the first of their kind aimed at ending the conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz are also slated to meet with Russian negotiators, following a landmark phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected any peace deal negotiated without Ukraine's direct involvement. In an interview with NBC, he emphasized that Ukraine would not accept any decisions made between the US and Russia concerning Ukraine's future.
While US officials, including Witkoff, have been in communication with Ukrainian counterparts, the absence of Kyiv from the talks in Saudi Arabia raises questions. Rubio downplayed the significance of the Saudi Arabia talks, stressing that one meeting would not resolve the conflict and that a structured negotiating process involving Ukraine, Russia, and third-party mediators has yet to be established.
Amid these developments, European leaders, including the UK's Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will gather in Paris. The summit, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, aims to address European security and Ukraine's future, although French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot cautioned against over-dramatizing the meeting.
Concerns are mounting in Europe over the US's approach to the negotiations. Trump's comments about Ukraine's NATO membership prospects and territorial concessions have raised alarms. US Vice-President JD Vance, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, urged Europe to take greater responsibility for its defense, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the need for Europe to provide substantial funding for Ukraine.
As these diplomatic maneuvers unfold, the war in Ukraine continues unabated. On Sunday, Zelensky reported a Russian drone strike in Mykolaiv, leaving over 100,000 people without power and heating. The conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, after annexing Crimea and parts of the eastern Donbas region in 2014, shows little sign of resolution.
