Rubio said the lifting of Western sanctions against Russia is inevitable

Western countries will be forced to lift anti-Russian sanctions if the conflict in Ukraine is resolved. This was stated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a conversation with journalists after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh on February 18.

"There are sanctions that have been imposed as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. So I would like to say that to end any conflict it is necessary for all sides to make concessions," the secretary of state said.

Also Rubio said that other countries can make similar decisions, complements "Gazeta.Ru".

"There are other parties that have imposed sanctions. The European Union will have to come to the negotiating table at some point, because they too have sanctions that have been imposed against Russia," Rubio added.

Resolving issues: talks between Russian and US delegations begin in Riyadh

The sides may discuss a meeting between the leaders of the countries Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump

Thetalks between the Russian and American delegations on February 18 in Riyard lasted 4.5 hours. The Russian delegation was represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Assistant to the Head of State Yuri Ushakov and the head of RDIF Kirill Dmitriev. From the United States, the meeting was attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Mike Waltz and special envoy of U.S. leader Donald Trump Steven Whitkoff, whose mandate initially covered the Middle East, but was later expanded to Russia and Ukraine.

Lavrov called the talks in the Saudi capital useful. Delegations from Russia and the United States agreed to set up negotiating groups on Ukraine and restore diplomatic relations.