US and Russia to Explore Opportunities Emerging After the Ukraine War

Author: Luthfie Febrianto
February 20, 2025

Presiden Amerika Serikat, Donald Trump. (ANTARA/Xinhua)

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - High-level talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia resulted in an agreement to explore potential economic and investment opportunities in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine.

The discussions, held at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, proceeded without Ukrainian or European representatives, fueling concerns that Donald Trump might advocate for a peace settlement favorable to Vladimir Putin.

However, Trump dismissed Ukraine’s exclusion, implying Kyiv was responsible for the war.

“Today I heard, ‘Oh, we weren’t invited’. Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it three years [ago] – you should have never started it. You could have made a deal,” he said as quoted on The Guardian.

According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a high-level team would be formed to support Ukraine peace negotiations. He reassured that any peace deal must be acceptable to all parties, including Ukraine and Europe.

However, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed skepticism, warning against divisions within the alliance.

“Russia will try to divide us. Let’s not walk into their traps. By working together with the US, we can achieve a just and lasting peace – on Ukraine’s terms,” he stated as quoted on The Guardian.

Meanwhile, discussions among European leaders in Paris failed to produce concrete decisions regarding military assistance to Ukraine.

Russia, in turn, rejected the deployment of NATO-aligned troops in Ukraine and dismissed a U.S. proposal for both sides to cease strikes on energy infrastructure. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership, while Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev suggested that economic ties between the U.S. and Russia could eventually be restored.

The Saudi-hosted talks have heightened concerns in Kyiv and across Europe, as leaders scramble to safeguard their interests in the evolving negotiations.

Writer: Andi Raisa Malaha Thambas