United States and Russia Agreed on a Peace Proposal for the War in Ukraine

On February 18, a Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

In this meeting, it was agreed by both U.S. and Russian officials to end the armed conflict unfolding in Ukraine for years, through a peace pact. 

Yuri Ushakov, advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, described the talks as "not bad", although he indicated that it was still difficult to determine if the interests of both parties were converging.

The meeting was the first of its kind since the start of the large-scale escalation of the war in Ukraine. During the talks, issues related to peace were discussed, including possible elections in Ukraine, the establishment of a ceasefire, and an eventual peace agreement.

Although there were no Ukrainian representatives present at the meeting, it was considered an important step toward advancing a solution, according to U.S. State Department spokesperson United States, Tammy Bruce, who noted that "a phone call followed by a meeting is not enough to establish lasting peace."

Ushakov mentioned that the possibility of a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was discussed, although he indicated that it would probably not take place next week, as had been previously speculated.

Despite Ukraine's absence at the negotiating table, a framework was proposed that could include a ceasefire, elections in Ukraine, and the signing of a subsequent peace agreement.

There was also mention of the delegations' willingness to restore embassy staff to strengthen diplomatic relations, which was considered an important step to continue the talks.

Regarding the absence of European representatives, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that it was not an exclusion of Europe, but that the peace process should include all parties when appropriate.

Meanwhile, some diplomatic sources indicated that negotiations on a possible peace could include holding new elections in Ukraine, a sensitive issue, as both the United States and Russia consider that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski would have little chance of winning reelection.

These statements caused backlash, especially among some U.S. lawmakers, such as Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, who opposed the idea of imposing elections in Ukraine without the participation of the Ukrainian government.

Meanwhile, Zelenski expressed his rejection of any peace agreement negotiated by the United States and Russia without Ukraine's participation, calling Putin a "liar" and asserting that he doesn't seek peace. Despite his skepticism about Putin's intentions, Zelenski stated that the Russian president might feel somewhat intimidated by Trump.

Regarding the situation in Europe, some European allies, such as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced they would be willing to send troops to Ukraine to ensure its security within the framework of a peace agreement.

Starmer acknowledged the responsibility of endangering the lives of British soldiers but emphasized that any effort to ensure Ukraine's security would also benefit the security of the European continent.

Additionally, the possibility of a peace agreement with elections in Ukraine remains a controversial topic, which could further complicate the situation. Meanwhile, the participation of European allies like the United Kingdom shows the interest in ensuring Ukraine's security in any future agreement.