The US and Russia secretly met in Switzerland to discuss the war in Ukraine; what were Russia’s demand during the first round of official talks?

Representatives from the US and Russia have been meeting secretly in Switzerland in recent months to discuss the war in Ukraine. The last meeting took place in Geneva during the Munich Security Conference. Only a small number of Trump’s advisers were aware of these meetings. Reuters sources describe the talks in Switzerland as “second-track diplomacy” – an informal dialogue to enhance communication and share ideas, rather than formulating specific proposals.

In contrast, during the first round of official talks in Riyadh, Russia sought the withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern European countries. The American delegation rejected Moscow’s demand, but there is no guarantee that Washington will not concede.

The FT reports that European capitals fear the Trump administration might agree to a peace deal that favors the Kremlin.

According to President Zelenskyy, the US and Russia have had a constant dialog over the last three years of the war without involvement from any other parties.