Lavrov spoke about Russian Federation's actions at talks with the U.S. in Riyadh

At the talks in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), first of all, we want to listen to our American colleagues. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this at a press conference with Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric on February 17.

"We always, when we go to negotiations at the suggestion of our partners, we first of all want to listen to them. Presidents Putin and Trump, when they spoke on the phone, agreed on the need to put behind them an absolutely abnormal period in relations between the two great powers, when they essentially did not communicate except on certain technical and humanitarian issues," he said.

He said the presidents agreed to resume dialog on all issues that can be resolved with the participation of Russia and the United States. He added that after the meeting with the United States, the Russian delegation will report the results to the leaders, who will decide on further steps.

Counter-position: why Riyadh may accept Putin-Trump talks

And how Saudi Arabia feels about the conflict in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia

On the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his aide Yuri Ushakov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will fly to Riyadh on February 17 to meet with the U.S. delegation. He noted that the meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, and will be devoted to the restoration of a set of bilateral relations between Russia and the United States and the preparation of possible negotiations on the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

The day before, it was reported that the US delegation went to Saudi Arabia on February 16 for talks with the Russian Federation.