The U.S.-Russia peace talks are imminent and scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Notably, Ukraine has not been invited to the meeting. Even more surprisingly, European nations, EU leaders, and the NATO chief have also been excluded from these talks, a surprising diplomatic maneuver.

The Ukraine War may no longer be seen as a frozen conflict or stalemate. No, this is not a confirmation of peace, but the surge of diplomacy in Washington, Moscow, Kyiv, Europe, and the Middle East suggests that something is brewing. A mix of the strategic exclusion of European stakeholders, meetings among European countries regarding President Donald Trump’s bypassing approach, and the isolation of Ukraine, the victim country, from the proposed peace talks is all unfolding. However, the situation remains uncertain. It will be interesting to see which direction this war takes from here—toward a ceasefire or an EU-funded troop deployment inside Ukraine. Let’s analyze.

U.S. & Russia Scheduled to Talk in Riyadh about Ukraine War:

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has landed in Saudi Arabia, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also arrived in Riyadh. U.S. and Russian delegates are expected to engage diplomatically, to begin talks on how to end the Russo-Ukrainian War. US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are also present in Saudi Arabia. Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov is also accompanied by Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to Vladimir Putin.

Foreign Minister Lavrov has already dismissed the possibility of Russia agreeing to any territorial concessions to Ukraine. After a telephonic discussion with Putin for more than 1 hour, U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that he believed it was “impractical” for Ukraine to join NATO and expressed doubt that Ukraine could reclaim the territory it has lost to Russia during the war.

Ukraine is not invited to U.S.-Russia Peace Talks in Saudi, But Zelenskyy Visits UAE

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has confirmed that he hasn’t been invited to the talks in Riyadh, emphasizing that Kiev will not accept any resolutions about Ukraine without its involvement.

Ukraine President Zelenskyy has arrived in Abu Dhabi after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany along with his wife Olena Zelenska. Both were greeted by an Emirati official and honor guard at the airport late Sunday night. President Zelenskyy has stated that the goal of this trip is to work on investments, humanitarian programs and economic partnership.

European Union & NATO Bypassed:

U.S. Envoy Keith Kellog has informed that European Union or NATO will not be participating in the talks between the U.S. & Russia in Saudi Arabia. He has said, eventually, U.S. will act as an intermediary between Ukraine & Russia with an aim to end the war.

“On Europeans being at the table, I’m from a school of realism. I think that’s not gonna happen. This did not mean “their interests are not considered, used or developed”

U.S. Envoy Keith Kellog

The U.S. decision to exclude European countries from the U.S.-Russia peace talks in Riyadh, which aim to work toward ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, is seen by Europe as a belittlement of their efforts. Europe has also supported Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, regardless of how much smaller their contributions may be compared to those of the U.S.

“There’s no way in which we can have discussions or negotiations about Ukraine, Ukraine’s future or European security structure, without Europeans. But this means that Europe needs to get its act together. Europe needs to talk less and do more”

Alexander Stubb, President, Finland

French President Emanuel Macron Called an Emergency Meeting between European Leaders at Paris

French President Emanuel Macron called for an Emergency Meeting between European nations at Paris to discuss the ongoing situations involving Ukraine, Russia & the U.S. and after exclusion of Europe from U.S.-Russia Peace Talk at Riyadh.

Leaders from Germany, the U.K., Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the European Union gathered at the Elysee Palace in Paris to discuss the continent’s security challenges. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was also present at the meeting.

“Europe’s security is at a turning point. Yes, it is about Ukraine – but it is also about us. We need an urgency mindset. We need a surge in defense. And we need both of them now,”

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that he would be willing to send British troops to Ukraine to help ensure a potential peace agreement is upheld. However, the U.S. has cautioned that such a mission would not be covered by NATO’s Article 5 of collective defense, which could leave the troops exposed to Russian attacks.

Can the U.S.-Russia Peace Talk in Riyadh end the Russo-Ukrainian War?

It cannot, at least immediately. The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also said that they are working holistically to follow the lead generated by President Trump and will try to explore ways in order to restore peace in Ukraine.

We stand ready to follow the president’s lead on this and begin to explore ways, if those opportunities present itself, to begin a process toward peace. we have a long way to go. Nothing has been finalized. A process towards peace is not a one-meeting thing. This war has been going on for a while. It’s difficult, it’s complicated, it’s been bloody, it’s been costly. So, it will not be easy to end a conflict like this, and there are other parties at stake that have opinions on this as well.

Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State

The geopolitical criticality of bringing peace to Ukraine cannot be suppressed. The war’s resolution is crucial not just for the region, but for the stability of the entire Europe, also the global order. However, any peace achieved by sidelining Ukraine, the very victim of the Russian invasion, would be an affront to justice and a recipe for future instability. Ukraine must have a voice at the table, for it is their sovereignty and their future at stake.

Equally, the European Union and NATO, who have stood resolutely by Ukraine’s side, imposing sanctions on Russia, providing vital military and humanitarian aid, and offering unwavering support to Ukraine, cannot be excluded from the peace process. These are not peripheral players; they are key stakeholders whose involvement is indispensable for securing a genuine, long-lasting peace.

Anything less than full participation of all the stakeholders in the U.S.-Russia Peace Talk, would undermine the very foundations of any agreement. A temporary ceasefire, or Ukraine conceding territory, is not peace; it is merely the calm before the even bigger storm, an unsustainable peace that will only sow the seeds for future conflict. U.S. must embrace an inclusive approach and foster mutual respect to prevent Russia from repeating its reckless actions.