Russian-US officials discuss Ukraine war, without Kyiv

President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country won't accept any outcome from this week's talks if Kyiv doesn't take part

- Agencies

RIYADH: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov decided after meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday to appoint teams to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, the US State Department said.

Rubio and Lavrov agreed to "appoint respective high-level teams to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides", State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said.

No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting, which comes as the beleaguered country is slowly but steadily losing ground against more numerous Russian troops in a grinding war that began nearly three years ago. President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country won't accept any outcome from this week's talks if Kyiv doesn't take part.

European allies have also expressed concerns they are being sidelined.