US and Russia negotiations began in Saudi Arabia: first statements.

The negotiations between the US and Russian delegations have begun in Riyadh

High-level negotiations between the delegations of the United States of America and the Russian Federation have begun in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

The American side is represented at the negotiations by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Whittaker.

The Russian delegation is headed by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is accompanied by President Putin's Assistant Yuri Ushakov and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev.

During the first round of negotiations, the head of the RDIF Kirill Dmitriev said there could be possible progress in bilateral relations in the next 2-3 months. According to him, the US has suffered greater losses from the imposed sanctions than Russia, and the restrictive measures have only contributed to strengthening Russia's economic independence.

The Russian side also emphasized that the Biden administration's policy has led to a decline in trust in the US dollar, and the strategy of containing Russia has proven ineffective. According to Russian representatives, the US is currently demonstrating a greater readiness for constructive dialogue and understanding of Russia's position.

Earlier, the State Department named the priorities of the negotiations with Russia in Saudi Arabia regarding the cessation of war.