Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:56pm on 18 Feb 2025,Tuesday International
Russia will not accept NATO troops in Ukraine under any peace deal, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with the US in Saudi Arabia. The meeting marked the first face-to-face discussions between US and Russian officials since the invasion. Both sides agreed to appoint teams for further negotiations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a "first step" in ending the war. Ukraine was not invited, and President Zelensky criticised decisions made without his country. Lavrov also announced plans to restore diplomatic ties. The European Union was not part of the talks but may join later.
