Formal, tense and laced with distrust, the highly anticipated Saudi-hosted talks between the United States and Russia on Tuesday carried all the hallmarks of a major diplomatic showdown.

The rare encounter marked a dramatic shift in US-Russia relations, following last week's phone call between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The setting itself was striking.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, hosted the meeting at Diriyah Palace, where the kingdom rolled out the red carpet.

The sprawling palace was teeming with Saudi staff,........

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