UK, France boost support for Ukraine as US‑Russia talks progress
Speaking in Riyadh, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz noted that both the United Kingdom and France are exploring ways to enhance their support for Ukraine’s security, describing it as a positive development. Talks between the United States and Russian delegations had previously taken place there, focusing on ending the war in Ukraine.
Mike Waltz emphasized the need for European nations to share the responsibility of NATO defense more equally. He pointed out that many allies still fail to allocate at least two percent of their GDP to defense.
He emphasized that one of the significant topics is the "security guarantees" that Europe is considering.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stressed that another crucial issue is increasing defense funding in European countries.
He emphasized that this is a collective effort rather than a matter of the U.S. dictating terms to European taxpayers. He also noted that both the UK and France are considering increasing their contributions to Ukraine’s security, describing it as a positive development.
Declaration of cooperation
Talks between the Russian and American delegations lasted over four hours and marked the first such meeting since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to set up teams that will work towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine as soon as possible, reported U.S. Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday.
The leaders also consented to establish a consultative mechanism to address sensitive issues in U.S.-Russian relations.
They announced plans for cooperation in the fields of economy and potential investment opportunities that will arise with the end of the war in Ukraine.
