Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, US and Russian officials convened in Riyadh for over four hours of high-level diplomacy discussions. This meeting marked a significant diplomatic engagement by Moscow, which remains firm without conceding any points. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that both countries have agreed on initial steps for continued negotiations. Despite evidence, Russia denies targeting Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underscores Beijing's commitment and sees these talks as reinstating Russia's stance as equal to the US.