Top U.S. and Russian officials have had their most extensive high-level engagement since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine almost three years ago.

Europe's participation in Ukraine peace talks will be needed eventually but Moscow first wants to build trust with Washington, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, while suggesting that a deal to end the conflict may still be far off.

Russian and U.S. diplomats will meet in Istanbul on Thursday for talks aimed at restoring their respective diplomatic missions, seen as a step towards ending the war in Ukraine, both sides said on Wednesday.

The meeting is meant to pave the way for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

U.S. President Donald Trump said a new phase of ceasefire negotiations between American and Russian delegations aimed to stop Russia's war against Ukraine would take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb.

The meeting marked the first high-level discussions between the two countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The setting for these talks was Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, where both nations discussed their strained relationship and explored ways to ease tensions.

The two men barely pay attention. They’ve heard it all before, and know they can’t change much. Benor is a veteran of the Second Chechen War. Vakha, who once served in the Georgian army, fought in 1993 against Russian-backed Abkhazian separatists.

Senior officials from the U.S. and Russia meet in Saudi Arabia on improving ties and ending the war in Ukraine - but Ukraine isn't invited.

Last week, high-level talks between Russia and the United States took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The talks focused on strategies to end the ongoing war in Ukraine and restore severely strained dip