While U.S. officials characterized the talks as the first step in a peace deal, the Russians are portraying them as a way to end Moscow’s isolation.

The US-Russia talks in Riyadh signal a dramatic shift in Washington’s approach raising questions about Ukraine’s exclusion, Europe’s uncertainty and the emergence of a new Trump-Putin dynamic

As the 4-1/2-hour meeting in the Saudi capital was underway, Russia hardened its demands, notably insisting it would not tolerate the NATO alliance granting membership to Ukraine.