Wed Feb 19 00:15:10 UTC 2025: ## Trump Claims Russia Wants Peace in Ukraine Following US-Russia Talks
**JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia** – Following hours of talks between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, former President Donald Trump asserted that Russia is eager for a ceasefire, citing the devastating human cost of the conflict. Trump stated the war was “senseless” and claimed it would never have happened under his presidency.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, along with other officials, engaged in over four hours of discussions. According to Rubio, the two sides agreed on four key principles, including the appointment of a high-level team to facilitate negotiations for a mutually acceptable resolution. The talks also covered broader issues, including the normalization of US-Russia diplomatic relations, with both sides agreeing to appoint ambassadors and initiate consultations to ease restrictions on diplomatic missions. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed these developments on X (formerly Twitter).
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was not involved in the talks, rejected any agreement reached without Ukraine’s participation, stating that Ukraine will not yield to Russian ultimatums. Trump, in comments made while signing executive orders, mentioned the high number of casualties, including what he termed a significant loss of Korean soldiers, a claim not yet corroborated by other sources. The discussions also included a commitment to continuing dialogue on other international issues, recognizing the shared responsibilities of the US and Russia as nuclear powers and permanent UN Security Council members. The possibility of a future meeting between the presidents of both countries was also raised.
First Piper 