俄罗斯和美国官员将于18日在沙特阿拉伯首都利雅得举行会谈。
这次会谈怎么谈？重点是什么？外界反应如何？接下来乌克兰危机谈判如何进行？

How to talk about the meeting

According to the information currently released by both Russia and the United States, the Russian side participating in the Riyadh talks includes Foreign Minister Lavrov and Presidential Assistant Ushakov, who arrived in Riyadh on the local day. The U.S. side participating in the talks includes Secretary of State Rubio, National Security Advisor Waltz, and Special Envoy for Middle East Affairs Witkof, all of whom also arrived in Riyadh on the same day.

Upon arriving in Riyadh, Ushakov stated: "We are here to negotiate with the Americans. The talks are bilateral, purely bilateral. There will be no trilateral meetings in Riyadh."

Rubio visits the Middle East for the first time as U.S. Secretary of State. The U.S. Department of State issued a statement saying that Rubio met with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed and Foreign Minister Faisal in Riyadh on the same day. The Saudi Press Agency also reported on this. However, neither side mentioned the U.S.-Russia talks.

Russian stance: Three talks, one no-talk.

Ushakov stated that Russian President Putin has assigned a task to the delegation: "to discuss the normalization of relations, to explore the possibility of initiating negotiations on the Ukraine issue, and to consider the prospects for high-level contacts." He mentioned that Russia will adopt a "pragmatic" approach during the talks.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov stated that the Riyadh talks will "primarily address the issue of restoring comprehensive relations between Russia and the United States," and will also "involve preparations for possible negotiations on the Ukraine issue, as well as arrangements for a meeting between the two countries' presidents."

Lavrov stated that Russia hopes to understand the U.S. position and provide a response during the talks in Riyadh. After the talks conclude, he will report the outcomes to Russian leadership, and subsequent arrangements will be decided by them. He emphasized to the media that territorial concessions to Ukraine cannot be discussed during the talks.

According to The New York Times, Russia has once again released an American citizen. The individual was arrested this month upon entering Russia after being found in possession of marijuana. Previously, just before the phone call between Putin and Trump earlier this month, Russia released American teacher Mark Fogel, who had been detained in Russia. The United States also released a Russian citizen who had been imprisoned in the U.S.

U.S. stance: Testing the waters with the first step.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told the media in Riyadh that the U.S.-Russia talks were a "follow-up" to the phone conversation between Trump and Putin, and that the U.S. would assess Russia's sincerity in negotiations regarding the Ukraine issue.

Bruce said that the two sides will discuss "whether it is possible to take the first step, what the interests of both sides are, and whether these issues can be properly handled."

During an interview with U.S. media, Rubio stated that there is "still a long way to go" before initiating peace talks aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. Putin has expressed interest in peace, and "the coming days or weeks will determine" whether Putin is "serious about" engaging in peace negotiations.

Witkoff previously stated that the U.S. side would advance the talks in the direction indicated by Trump, hoping to "make some good progress in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict" and that "trust needs to be built here between the U.S. and Russia."

What is the external reaction?

According to a report by the Ukrainian Interfax News Agency, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated during a video call with the media that day: "Ukraine will not participate in (US-Russia talks). Ukraine is not aware of this matter. Ukraine believes that any negotiations concerning Ukraine without its participation are fruitless. We cannot acknowledge anything or any agreements about us that are made without our involvement."

Zelensky also emphasized that his official visit to Saudi Arabia on the day was unrelated to the U.S.-Russia talks. During his visit to Saudi Arabia, he would learn about the U.S.-Russia discussions through the Saudi side.

Leaders from multiple European countries held an emergency meeting in Paris, the capital of France, to discuss the Ukraine issue. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated after the meeting that peace should be based on respecting Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and should provide strong security guarantees. French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that he had separate phone calls with Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the emergency meeting.

Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations, Péter Szijjártó, wrote on social media: "The war-supporting Europeans are shouting that they didn't get a seat at the negotiating table... Why should they be there? This is a peace negotiation, it has nothing to do with the pro-war faction!"

China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, stated during the Security Council's deliberation on the Ukraine issue that China welcomes all efforts dedicated to peace in Ukraine, including the consensus reached between the United States and Russia to initiate peace talks.

What's next?

The Riyadh talks mark the first high-level, face-to-face meeting between the U.S. and Russia in years. International observers believe that, given the cautious approach from both sides, the talks are unlikely to achieve a breakthrough.

Bruce said, "People should not expect this talk to be rich in details or to move in the direction of some kind of negotiation." She noted that although Ukraine will not participate in the Riyadh talks held on the day, genuine peace negotiations can only occur with Ukraine's involvement.

Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to the Ukrainian President, stated on social media that there is currently no possibility of direct dialogue between Ukrainian and Russian representatives. Ukraine will not engage in direct talks with Russia unless it has a plan to end the conflict and achieve justice and peace.

Trump said today that he would meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia "soon," adding, "No set time, but probably soon."

Peskov had previously stated that preparations for a meeting between Putin and Trump could take weeks or even months.