The United States and its allies will have to reassess the extensive sanctions regime imposed on Russia in order to achieve a lasting resolution to the Ukraine conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated during a press conference in Riyadh on February 18. Rubio’s remarks signal a potential shift in Washington’s approach to the conflict, raising the possibility of future economic cooperation with Moscow once hostilities come to an end.

Rubio, speaking alongside National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff, shared details of a high-level meeting between US and Russian delegations held in Saudi Arabia’s capital. The Russian delegation was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, presidential foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov, and Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). The discussions reportedly covered a broad range of issues, including conflict resolution and restoring diplomatic relations. Both sides described the meeting as positive and constructive.

One of the key takeaways from Rubio’s statements was the notion that sanction relief could become a central element of any negotiated settlement. While he did not provide specifics on what potential concessions might look like, he acknowledged that both parties would need to make compromises in order to bring an end to the war.

“In order to bring an end to any conflict, there have to be concessions made by all sides,” Rubio stated. “The issue of sanctions relief has not yet been discussed in detail with the Russian side, but it is clear that this matter will have to be addressed if we are to reach a sustainable........

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