The State Department has called talks in Saudi Arabia an important step towards resolving the Ukraine conflict

The US State Department has hailed Tuesday's high-level discussions between American and Russian officials as a significant stride towards resolving the Ukraine conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior members of President Donald Trump's administration met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce conveyed Washington's optimistic outlook and objectives following the gathering in Riyadh.

"One phone call followed by one meeting is not sufficient to establish enduring peace. We must take action, and today we took an important step forward," according to a statement, referencing Trump's call to Russian President Vladimir Putin last week.

The statement said that Moscow and Washington will pursue further trust-building measures aimed at addressing "irritants to our bilateral relationship," including the normalization of operations for American and Russian diplomatic missions on each other's soil.

High-level teams will focus on seeking a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict, while also laying the groundwork for "future cooperation on matters of mutual geopolitical interest." The Trump administration anticipates "historic economic and investment opportunities" arising from a successful resolution to the conflict, with officials committed to proceeding "in a timely and productive manner."

In addition to Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff represented the US in Riyadh. The Russian delegation included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, presidential foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov, and Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Both Moscow and Washington expressed hope that the talks will pave the way for an in-person meeting between Trump and Putin soon. Russian officials have characterized the discussions as "mostly good" and "positive."

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Moscow and Washington have reiterated their commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict after over a decade of tensions and nearly three years of hostilities.

Russia has insisted upon a comprehensive resolution that addresses the root causes of the conflict, including NATO's expansion in Europe since the 1990s. It has also said that any solution must include Ukraine agreeing to remain a neutral state and acknowledging the "realities on the ground."

(RT.com)