Irish Examiner view: Ukraine is missing from US-Russia 'peace talks'

Donald Trump's administration is seeking business opportunities with Russia. That that does not augur well for the future

Russian president Vladimir Putin chairing a remote cabinet meeting in St Petersburg on Tuesday while his emissaries discussed the carve-up of Ukraine with their US counterparts in Riyadh. Picture: Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/Kremlin pool/AP

The first day of discussions between the US and Russia in Riyadh concluded yesterday with a flurry of briefings and press conferences afterwards, with participants seeking to depict themselves in the best possible light.

The war in Ukraine was an obvious focus and, on the American side, secretary of state Marco Rubio indicated that any peace deal relating to that war would have to be acceptable to both Ukraine and Europe.