U.S.-Russia Talks in Riyadh and Other Headlines of the Day

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Top of the Agenda

The U.S. and Russia’s top diplomats met for several hours in Saudi Arabia today. The countries agreed to “lay the groundwork for future cooperation” on improving bilateral ties and ending the war in Ukraine, a State Department spokesperson said. In addition to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with the Russian delegation. Washington’s willingness to negotiate bilaterally with Moscow left Ukraine and European allies scrambling for a seat at the table.

A change in U.S. tactics. Today’s negotiations in Riyadh mark a dramatic shift in U.S. policy from the Joe Biden administration, which joined NATO allies in seeking to isolate Moscow economically and diplomatically. Ahead of today’s meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv “cannot recognize” a peace deal that it did not have a hand in negotiating. 

• A U.S. State Department spokesperson characterized today’s talks as exploratory, offering assurances that Ukraine would be involved in “anything that’s going to happen.” 

• Both sides agreed to restore embassy staffing and create high-level teams to negotiate on peace in Ukraine and economic cooperation issues, Rubio said.

• Public statements from Moscow today suggested hardened demands. A Russia foreign ministry spokesperson called for NATO to disavow a 2008 promise that Ukraine would join the alliance at an unspecified future date. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said the Kremlin was “categorically opposed” to European troops deploying to Ukraine, regardless of their role, Russian newswires reported. 

Europe regroups. The Riyadh meeting came on the heels of a whirlwind week in Europe, during which other Trump administration officials stunned NATO members in Brussels over its approach to Ukraine and offered sharp takes on European affairs at the Munich Security Conference. After Munich, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an emergency Paris gathering of European leaders yesterday to weigh their own evolving positions on the war. 

• Trump administration officials said they anticipate Europe will take the lead on potential postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, leading Zelenskyy to call for the creation of an “armed forces of Europe.” 

• United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered to deploy British troops to Ukraine in the case of a lasting peace deal, as long as they received unspecified support from the United States. Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain reportedly voiced reluctance to dispatch troops, however. 

• Macron said that Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians would work together on “strong and credible security guarantees” for Kyiv, with discussions set to continue in the days ahead.

“The Trump administration cannot afford to see the Europeans fail. It must ensure that any cease-fire in Ukraine stays intact and that Russia does not use it simply to pause before resuming its barbaric war of aggression. This requires that the United States continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine and signal that it will backstop European efforts to secure peace. Only through such credible assurances will Putin accept and respect a cease-fire,” CFR expert Paul B. Stares and the Brookings Institution’s Michael O’Hanlon write.

Across the Globe

Israel’s outposts in Lebanon. Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Southern Lebanon today as previously agreed in a cease-fire deal but said they would stay past today’s withdrawal deadline in five locations on Lebanese territory. An Israeli military spokesperson said the move was “agreed upon” with the U.S.-led monitoring group created as part of the cease-fire deal. Lebanon views any continued Israeli presence on its territory as an occupation, a spokesperson for the Lebanese presidency said.

China warms to private tech. President Xi Jinping pledged government support for private tech companies at a Beijing meeting yesterday attended by some of the country’s biggest tech CEOs. It signaled a shift from a previous regulatory crackdown on the sector. That crackdown frequently targeted companies such as Alibaba, whose founder Jack Ma attended the Monday event.

India’s tariff easing. India is planning additional tariff cuts for U.S. goods following those it announced a few weeks ago for motorcycles, textiles, and other products, the country’s finance minister said. New Delhi could see U.S. duties on its products rise if Trump goes through with his plan for reciprocal tariffs. A senior Indian customs official told The Hindu that its tariffs on the top thirty products imported from the United States are between 0 and 7.5 percent. 

State Department language on Taiwan. Beijing urged Washington to “correct its mistakes” after a department webpage on Taiwan policy was updated. The new version omitted a phrase about not supporting Taiwan’s independence, and said Washington would support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations “where applicable.” Taipei welcomed the revision, while a State Department spokesperson said the United States “remains committed to its One China policy.”

Contested accounts of Guantánamo detainees. Family members of some migrant detainees recently taken to the U.S. base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, pushed back against Trump administration affirmations that the migrants were part of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua; a Department of Homeland Security official did not respond to a Washington Post request for details on how it identifies members of the gang. As of last Friday, 126 migrants were being held at Guantánamo Bay, an unnamed defense department official said.

Zimbabwe’s presidential succession. President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he will leave office at the end of his presidential term in 2028 despite a proposal by his own party to extend his term by two years. His party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, has ruled the country since its 1980 independence.

Rebels take another Congo city. Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, over the weekend. They reportedly encountered less resistance from Congolese forces than in the nearby city of Goma. The rebel advance is increasing the risk of a regional war, analysts say; Bukavu lies near the border with Burundi.

South Korea’s DeepSeek skepticism. New downloads of DeepSeek apps are pausedin South Korea while the company works with authorities to address privacy concerns, South Korean officials said. The app is also blocked in Italy, and Australia and Taiwan have banned it from government devices.

The Day Ahead

• Zoran Milanović begins his second term as president of Croatia.

• U.S. Special Representative Keith Kellogg meets with Polish President Andrzej Duda.

• Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani concludes a state visit to India.