02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Zelenskyy says war talks should involve Ukraine, Erdogan offers Turkey as ‘ideal’ location
Ukrainian President said no talks on the future of Ukraine should be held behind the country’s back, as US-Russian talks concluded in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Speaking during a visit to Ankara at a joint press conference with Turkish counterpart , Zelenskyy said that talks should be “fair” and should also involve European countries, including Turkey.
“Ukraine, Europe in a broad sense — and this includes the European Union, Turkey, and the UK — should be involved in conversations and the development of the necessary security guarantees with America regarding the fate of our part of the world,” Zelenskyy said.
He also said he postponed a Wednesday visit to Saudi Arabia to March 10. He cited the fact that Ukrainian officials were not invited to the Riyadh talks between Moscow and Washington.
Erdogan meanwhile stressed that Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty were indisputable for Ankara, offering up his country as an “ideal” venue for any upcoming talks.
“Turkey will be an ideal host for the possible talks between Russia, Ukraine and America in the near future,” he said, adding that US President aligned with the Turkish policy since the start of the conflict.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qgcm
Skip next section US now understands Moscow’s position ‘better,’ Lavrov said02/18/2025February 18, 2025
US now understands Moscow’s position ‘better,’ Lavrov said
Rana Taha | Saim Dušan Inayatullah
Washington understood Moscow’s position “better” following Tuesday’s high-level talks in Riyadh, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
“The conversation, I believe, was very useful. We did not just listen but heard each other, and I have reason to believe the American side has better understood our position,” said Lavrov, who headed the Russian delegation in the first talks between the two world powers since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The two countries agreed to establish a process for settling and to remove barriers for diplomatic missions, Lavrov added.
The Russian top diplomat also touched on the issue of expansion, which Moscow had cited as one of its reasons for invading Ukraine. He called it a “direct threat” to Russia and stressed that he communicated to the US delegates that any NATO troops’ deployment to , even under other flags, would be unacceptable.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was “convinced” that Moscow was willing to engage in a “serious process” to end the war, adding that Washington aimed for a “fair” and “sustainable” solution.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement that the meeting was “an important step forward” toward peace.
Rubio said that European nations would have to be involved in talks on ending the war, and that “extraordinary opportunities existed to partner” with Russia.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qgDx
Skip next section US, Russia agree to start push towards peace in Ukraine — US State Department
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
US, Russia agree to start push towards peace in Ukraine — US State Department
We are starting to get reactions now from the US State Department after a meeting between top US and Russian officials over the war in Ukraine.
The United States and Russia agreed on Tuesday to address issues affecting their relationship and to start finding ways to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The State Department said that this effort is still in the early stages.
“One phone call followed by one meeting is not sufficient to establish enduring peace,” department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said after meetings in Saudi Arabia.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qeaQ
Skip next section US-Russia talks conclude
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
US-Russia talks conclude
Talks between top US and Russian officials about the war in ended after more than four hours.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov, who attended the talks in Saudi Arabia alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said the talks went well.
He said discussions on war would continue through separate negotiation teams in the future.
Ushakov mentioned that conditions were discussed for a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Putin, but no date was set.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qdlj
Skip next section US-Russia talks could reshape European security, warns ECFR expert
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
US-Russia talks could reshape European security, warns ECFR expert
The talks in Riyadh might reshape European security, Jana Puglierin, a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), warned.
“Washington has begun negotiations with Russia over the heads of Ukraine and the other Europeans, and there are fears that these will not only be about ending the war, but also about the future European security architecture,” she said.
Puglierin said US President Donald Trump could make concessions previously deemed implausible, including on and further .
“Europe risks standing powerless on the sidelines as the foundations of European security collapse.”
She said the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2025 “destroyed our faith in a collective security order with Russia.”
Puglierin said it also highlighted issues of dependence on Russia and China in critical areas.
Last week, US Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a flurry of speeches, questioned both and its .
“February 2025 shows us that the Americans no longer feel responsible for European security – and that their interests are fundamentally different from ours,” Puglierin said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qddW
Skip next section Russia demands NATO disavow 2008 promise to Ukraine
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Russia demands NATO disavow 2008 promise to Ukraine
Russia says Ukraine cannot join , and a simple refusal to accept the country into the military alliance is also not enough. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that NATO must disavow the Bucharest promises of 2008.
“It is worth noting that a refusal to accept Kyiv into NATO is not enough,” Zakharova said.
At a summit in April 2008, NATO declared that Ukraine and Georgia would join the alliance but provided no plan for their accession.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would not stop Ukraine from joining the European Union.
“Nobody can dictate to another country, and we do not plan on dictating,” Peskov said, “but it is completely different when it comes to security issues and military alliances. Here we have a different approach that is well known.”
The Russian statements come as top-ranking US and Russian officials are holding talks in Saudi Arabia about the war in Ukraine.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly said Ukraine would need security guarantees under any peace deal, and that could include NATO membership.
Ukraine has also expressed hopes of joining the EU, but that is complicated and could take years
https://p.dw.com/p/4qdZs
Skip next section Baerbock says no German troops in ‘hot war’ in Ukraine
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Baerbock says no German troops in ‘hot war’ in Ukraine
German Foreign Minister said that the discussion about possible European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine is too early.
Speaking to public broadcaster ZDF, she echoed Chancellor Olaf Scholz, saying, “no soldiers will be sent into this hot war.”
Direct US-Russia talks over the war have sparked a debate about what security guarantees Europe could offer as part of a down-the-line deal in Ukraine.
Baerbock said, “peacekeeping is a European task” and emphasized that any agreement regarding Ukraine must involve both Ukrainian and European participation. However, she also stated that a debate around sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine after the war is far too premature.
Speaking after a meeting about the issue on Monday, Scholz said having that debate right now was “completely premature” and “highly inappropriate” while the war is ongoing.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qd7f
Skip next section EU tells Trump envoy Europe wants to work with US on Ukraine peace talks
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
EU tells Trump envoy Europe wants to work with US on Ukraine peace talks
EU chief told US envoy Keith Kellogg the EU wants to work with Washington for peace in Ukraine, and is ready to do more to arm Kyiv.
“We want to partner with the US to deliver a just and lasting peace for Ukraine,” von der Leyen wrote on social media after meeting Kellogg in Brussels.
She also outlined Europe’s plans “to scale up defense production and spending, reinforcing both European and Ukrainian military capabilities.”
Von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa hosted Kellogg at almost the same time as a meeting was taking place in Saudi Arabia between the US and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
During the meeting in Brussels, von der Leyen’s office said she had “reiterated that any resolution must respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, backed by strong security guarantees.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcpX
Skip next section Why is Saudi Arabia hosting talks between US and Russia?
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Why is Saudi Arabia hosting talks between US and Russia?
has returned to the diplomatic fold, hosting breakthrough US-Russia talks and an Arab leaders’ summit on Gaza.
“It’s a big coup for Saudi. The two superpowers come to Riyadh to settle their disagreements,” said Ali Shihabi, an advisor to the Saudi government. “It’s quite prestigious and affirms the soft power of the kingdom,” he told the AFP news agency.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a neutral party in global conflicts. This change comes after the country became isolated following the assassination of journalist in 2018.
The world’s leading exporter of crude oil maintains close relations with Russia on energy policy while promising hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The country has also helped in prisoner negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was set to visit the Kingdom this week on a separate trip arranged before the US-Russia talks were announced.
On Friday, Riyadh will host an Arab summit to discuss .
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcjh
Skip next section Russia anticipates economic progress in talks with US
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Russia anticipates economic progress in talks with US
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of sovereign wealth fund, told reporters in Riyadh that Russia expects “progress” in economic talks with the United States in the coming months. He was speaking on the sidelines of US-Russia talks on the war in Ukraine.
“We have a series of proposals, which our colleagues are thinking about. And I think that there will, possibly, be progress in the not so distant future, in the next two-three months,” Dmitriev said.
Dmitriev, a US-educated former Goldman Sachs banker, played a role in early contacts with Moscow during Trump’s first term as president from 2016-2020.
Moscow is hoping US President Donald Trump could lift sanctions imposed over the Ukraine offensive.
“It’s very important to understand that US businesses lost around $300 billion from leaving Russia. So there is huge economic toll on many countries from, you know, what’s happening right now,” Dmitriev said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcTL
Skip next section Von der Leyen meets US envoy Kellogg amid diplomatic push on Ukraine war
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Von der Leyen meets US envoy Kellogg amid diplomatic push on Ukraine war
President Ursula von der Leyen received US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, in Brussels.
Kellogg is on a whirlwind diplomatic tour that also saw him brief NATO allies on Monday ahead of a visit to Ukraine on Wednesday.
His meeting in Brussels on Tuesday comes a day after European leaders met for an emergency summit on Ukraine, following US President Donald Trump’s decision to arrange direct talks with Russia without Ukraine or European presence.
On Monday, Kellogg said he didn’t think it was “reasonable and feasible to have everybody sitting at the table.”
He was asked if the US would provide a security guarantee for any European peacekeepers deployed in Ukraine, one of the demands flowing from the European summit.
“I’ve been with President Trump, and the policy has always been: You take no options off the table,” he answered.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcL1
Skip next section US-Russia talks on Ukraine war underway
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
US-Russia talks on Ukraine war underway
Talks between top and officials about the war in Ukraine started in Saudi Arabia.
The US team is led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and also includes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Russian delegation is headed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.
These are the most significant discussions between Washington and Moscow since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The meeting reflects a significant departure from Washington’s position under the administration of President Joe Biden, which avoided public contacts because he believed Russia was not serious about ending the war.
has stated that no peace deal can be made on its behalf in the talks, to which Kyiv was not invited.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcFz
Skip next section Video of captured Australian Oscar Jenkins posted online
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Video of captured Australian Oscar Jenkins posted online
New footage has been circulating online, appearing to show an in Ukraine in December.
The video seemingly shows Oscar Jenkins, who appears to be weak and complaining of a broken arm.
It was uploaded to YouTube more than a week ago, but the date or authenticity cannot be verified.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday it “appears to confirm” Jenkins is alive.
He stated that “holds serious concerns for Mr. Jenkins’ welfare” and made it clear to Russia that Jenkins has certain protections under international humanitarian law.
“We have called for Russia to release Mr. Jenkins so that he can come home to his family.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcHG
Skip next section Macron speaks with Trump and Zelenskyy after European meeting02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Macron speaks with Trump and Zelenskyy after European meeting
French President said he spoke with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Monday’s .
Macron stressed that a peace agreement could only be sustainable if Russia ends its aggression and there are credible security guarantees for Ukraine.
“We will work on this together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians. This is the key,” he wrote on social media.
European leaders met in Paris on Monday for an emergency summit to discuss a unified strategy after Trump unexpectedly called for immediate talks following his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week.
They indicated they were “ready” to provide future security guarantees for Ukraine, “depending on the level of American support.”
They also insisted that no deal over Ukraine should be made behind their backs.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcFN
Skip next section Few answers to US-Russia riddle after Paris crisis talks
02/18/2025February 18, 2025
Few answers to US-Russia riddle after Paris crisis talks
The Elysee Palace became a crisis hub for Europe on Monday, with French President Emmanuel Macron as they scrambled to avoid the future of their continent being written without them.
But while Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen insisted the talks were never supposed to yield concrete results, the fact is that Monday’s meeting created more new questions than answers on what Europe will do next.
The Paris leaders’ line-up, which included France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland and Italy — as well as top EU and NATO officials — seemed not so united on which security guarantees Europe could offer as part of a down-the-line deal in Ukraine.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qcBi
The post Ukraine: US now understands Russia ‘better,’ Lavrov says appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
