Tensions rise between Lavrov and Dmitriev at Riyadh talks, catching Americans off guard
In a surprising twist of events, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and special envoy Kirill Dmitriev reportedly clashed during high-stakes talks in Riyadh over something as trivial as a chair, leaving Americans shocked. According to the Russian news outlet Agentsvto.Novosti, President Vladimir Putin perhaps unwisely appointed these two sparring figures to his negotiating team in Saudi Arabia, despite their ongoing frictions.
Initially, only Lavrov and Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, were expected to join the negotiations. However, Putin unexpectedly decided to add Dmitriev to the delegation, reportedly failing to inform Lavrov beforehand, sparking what was described as a “tantrum.”
The Russian Foreign Minister refused to provide his rival a seat at the table, insisting that if Dmitriev were to participate in negotiations, this instruction must come directly from Putin. Dmitriev then stepped out to speak with journalists in the hallway. A source from the publication remarks, "Everyone meets Putin individually, and he tells each person something different, which partly explains why nobody can clearly articulate Russia’s demands in the talks."
Dmitriev was in the United States from April 2-3, engaging in official discussions with his American counterpart Steve Witkoff regarding the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict. For this purpose, sanctions against him were temporarily lifted. Following several rounds of meetings, including one with pro-sanctions U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Dmitriev made a groundbreaking acknowledgment that some security guarantees for Ukraine "may be acceptable" by Russia.