High-level talks between US and Russian officials are set to take place in Riyadh on Tuesday (Feb 18), but the United States has dismissed any suggestion that the meeting will involve negotiations on Ukraine.

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US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Monday (Feb 17) that the discussions should not be seen as part of a formal negotiation process.

"I don't think that people should view this as something that is about details or moving forward in some kind of a negotiation," she said. She added that President Trump had instructed officials to "follow up effectively" on his recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Talks aim to reset US-Russia relations

The meeting, the first high-level engagement between the two countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is expected to focus on repairing strained diplomatic ties. While both sides have downplayed the likelihood of any breakthrough, the discussions have raised concerns in Kyiv and across Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv was not invited to the talks and voiced frustration over the lack of consultation. "We do not know anything about these discussions and cannot recognise any agreements about us without us," he said.

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Also read: 'Too soon': Europe split on Ukraine troop deployment as Trump courts Putin for peace talks

Meanwhile, European leaders are holding emergency talks in Paris to assess Washington’s shift in approach towards Moscow.

Possible Trump-Putin summit on agenda

One of the key topics under discussion is the possibility of a summit between Presidents Trump and Putin. Trump is reportedly eager to push for a swift resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine, while Moscow sees an opportunity to press Washington on longstanding issues, particularly the US military presence in Europe.

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Ahead of the talks, the Kremlin emphasised its desire to move past what it described as "abnormal relations" with Washington. Russia also made it clear that it does not believe European nations should have a role in any negotiations.

Key officials attending the talks

The US delegation in Riyadh will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Representing Russia will be Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and senior Putin aide Yuri Ushakov.

(With inputs from agencies)