Nearly three years after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, then-U.S. President Joe Biden stood firmly with Kyiv, uniting European allies and deploying experienced advisers to isolate Moscow economically and diplomatically.
However, the U.S. approach shifted dramatically on Tuesday with the first meeting between American and Russian negotiators. This occurred just a month after Donald Trump returned to the White House, sidelining Ukraine and NATO allies while an inexperienced team of Trump aides granted concessions to Putin before discussions even began.
Trump’s push to quickly end Russia’s war in Ukraine has raised concerns about a peace deal that could weaken Kyiv, compromise European security, and reshape global geopolitics.
"The most alarming aspect is how Trump has transformed Russia from a pariah to a prized partner in just a few days. That comes at a cost," said Brett Bruen, a former foreign policy adviser in the Obama administration. The Riyadh talks marked the first U.S.-Russia negotiations over the deadliest European conflict since World War II. The outcome included an agreement to form future negotiating teams and restore normal diplomatic functions, indicating a thaw in previously frozen relations.
Even before negotiations began, European leaders criticized Trump for conceding too much to Moscow. His statements ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and dismissing Kyiv’s chances of reclaiming occupied territory led to accusations of appeasement.
Major Players Excluded
Ukraine’s exclusion from Tuesday’s talks represented a stark departure from Biden and NATO’s principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” Kyiv has insisted it will not accept any deal imposed without its approval.
The absence of European representatives also heightened allies’ concerns that Trump might offer excessive concessions to Putin. In response, European governments have begun discussing deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine to support any agreement. Trump stated he would not oppose such a move, though Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected NATO troops’ presence, signaling Moscow’s resistance to major compromises.
There were no immediate signs of Russian concessions during the meeting. Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov—who together have over three decades of diplomatic experience—faced off against Trump’s newly appointed team, consisting of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and envoy Steve Witkoff.
"The American team lacks experience in high-level international negotiations, has no regional expertise on Ukraine and Russia, and does not speak the relevant languages," wrote Timothy Snyder, a Yale professor and Russia expert, on X. "That is certainly not the case for the Russians."
Bruen described the talks as "amateur hour" for Trump’s national security team. However, a Trump administration official countered, saying that Washington cannot achieve lasting peace through the same approach that allowed prolonged violence in Ukraine.
"President Trump has built a strong team that is already demonstrating his peace-through-strength agenda in action," said Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the National Security Council.
Following the talks, Trump expressed confidence and suggested he might meet with Putin before the month’s end. Having praised Putin in the past, Trump commended the Russian leader’s “conciliatory” approach after their recent phone call.
"Russia wants to make a deal," Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, downplaying Ukraine’s concerns over being excluded. He argued Kyiv should have entered negotiations much earlier.
Rubio emphasized that no party was being sidelined and that any resolution must be acceptable to all stakeholders. However, there was no clarity on how Ukraine would be included in future discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy postponed a scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to avoid legitimizing the U.S.-Russia talks, according to sources. He also criticized a draft U.S. minerals deal for lacking necessary security guarantees.
Sources revealed that Washington proposed acquiring 50% of Ukraine’s critical minerals—seemingly in exchange for military aid—a demand some critics likened to extortion.
‘Russia Won Round One’
Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center think tank, acknowledged concerns about Ukraine’s exclusion but suggested that limiting initial talks might have been strategic.
"It's not ideal that Ukraine wasn’t in the room, but they will likely be included in future meetings," she said. "Bringing too many European voices in at this stage could complicate progress."
Still, Democratic Congressman Jake Auchincloss, co-chair of the House Ukraine Caucus, declared that Russia had "won round one."
"The Kremlin has now been normalized in bilateral diplomacy that excludes Ukraine and NATO, and they gave up nothing to achieve that," he told Reuters.
Three Western intelligence officials confirmed that Putin’s objectives remain unchanged. They believe he intends to hold all occupied Ukrainian territory and expand his influence further into Europe.
"Putin won’t stop at Ukraine," warned Darius Jauniškis, director of Lithuania’s State Security Department. "I don’t see a genuine desire to end the war."
Trump’s fellow Republican, Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also cautioned against trusting Putin in negotiations.
"Putin is a war criminal," Wicker told CNN.
When asked about Trump’s belief that Putin seeks peace, Wicker responded, "The only thing we can trust the Russians to do is act in their interest and make temporary moves to their advantage."
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