Who was at the table in US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia?

Three Americans and two Russians drafted both teams during conversations in Saudi Arabia, who emphasized the end of Moscow’s Western isolation.

The men described the meeting as a preparation of the basics for broader conversations with a “high level” and agreed to reset the diplomatic relations of their countries.

What are they and what will play in the approach between the two forces?

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio He had already talked to his veteran Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the phone three days before the negotiations were held. He said that after the Tuesday meeting, he was convinced that Russia was ready for a “serious process” to end the war, and both sides would resume diplomatic relations.

Rubio has long sought an end to the war in Ukraine and voted against a package of $ 6 billion in 2024.S He sees China as America’s largest opponent and believes Beijing is happy that the United States is “sinking to Europe.”

He warned that “a meeting would not resolve (war)” and it became clear that both Ukraine and Europe would also have to participate: “No one has been removed here.”

National security adviser Mike Waltz He talks after the conversations about the insistence of a constant, not a temporary end of the war. But over the weekend, he suggested that the United States deserves a “some kind of payment” for the billions he paid to Ukraine since he started.

He does not only believe that Europeans must “possess this conflict” with regard to future security guarantees. He also believes that Ukraine should share its mineral wealth in partnership with the United States “with regard to their rare lands, their natural resources and oil and gas.”

Steve Vikoff is a more unknown quantity. Although these were the first official conversations between Russia and the US for almost two years, Vitcof was the man Donald Trump chose to send to Moscow only last week to talk with Vladimir Putin.

It is obvious that he is a Trump messenger to the Middle East, but apparently the former golf partner of the president is far more significant than that and It has been regarded as a loyal and preferred transaction of the PresidentS

He was part of the negotiations on the construction of Israel’s fire termination with Hamas, but was then sent to Russia to help the exchange of US prisoner Mark Fogel for Russian Alexander Vinic, in prison in America.

Russia has selected two best diplomats for this initial exchange on views.

Both are veterans and know the US well: Putin foreign policy adviser Yuri ushakov and Sergei LavrovForeign Minister since 2004

They have helped Putin lead his foreign policy over three years of war and from Lavrov it is from Lavrov to convey the message to Moscow.

Laurel Do it again on Tuesday. Explaining that the US delegation has proposed a suspension of attacks on energy facilities, Lavrov said Russia has never focused on Ukraine’s civil offering. A brutal denial of truth when Russian attacks against the national network made the interruptions of the power supply of the common characteristic of Ukrainian life.

When he participated in doomed negotiations to end the fire with Ukraine shortly after the large -scale war, Lavrov even denied that there was an invasion.

As a former US ambassador, 77-year-old Yuri ushakov There is a good idea how to talk to Washington. Within days after Donald Trump’s return to the White House, he clarified Russia, it was ready for conversation if the US sent “appropriate signals”.

Days before the full -scale invasion of Ukraine, he accused the Biden administration of the top hysteria, suggesting that Russian troops were preparing to go to war.

Third Russian was not in the room, but Cyril Dmitriev The presence in the delegation is a sign of how important Vladimir Putin sees the economic potential of Saudi negotiations.

The 49 -year -old Dmitriev is the head of Russia for direct investment funds and told reporters that he will focus on future economic relations with the United States: “We also have to do joint projects, including in the Arctic region and in other areas.”

It is significant that Dmitriev played a key role in working with Steve Witcof in the prisoners exchange that preceded Trump’s phone call with Putin last week, along with Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.

Dmitriev has close relationships with Putin’s family – his wife is close to one of Putin’s daughters.

And few Russians know the finances and business sector of America better than Dmitriev, as a former investment banker at Goldman Sachs and a graduate of Harvard Business School.

Although he is adamant that the Russian economy is doing well, 43%of the budget continues the war and internal security, inflation is just under 10%, and interest rates have reached 21%.

The two Saudi hosts chaired the start of the meeting, but did not stay in the room.

Foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan This year he has played an active role as a top Saudi diplomat, attending Lebanon and Europe and hosts an international meeting aimed at raising sanctions against Syria.

National security adviser Musaed Al-Ban He has also played a prominent role in the promotion of Saudi ties with the new leader in Syria Ahmed al -Sharaa.

Although Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman takes on the leading role of foreign policy, these two men are regularly beside him.