U.S.-Saudi Meeting Precedes Russia-U.S. Negotiations on Ukraine War
On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in discussions with Saudi Arabian officials ahead of scheduled negotiations between U.S. and Russian diplomats in the country aimed at finding a solution to the ongoing Ukraine war. Accompanying Rubio were U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East. They met with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at his palace in Riyadh.
Prior to this meeting with Bin Salman, Rubio held discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud. The visit to Riyadh marked Rubio’s inaugural trip to the Middle East in his capacity as Secretary of State, following a trip to Israel.
Russia-U.S. Talks Scheduled for Tuesday
Negotiations between the U.S. and Russia are set to commence in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Notably, Ukrainian officials will not be present at the negotiating table. Rubio, Waltz, and Witkoff will represent the U.S. delegation, as confirmed by State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov departed for the Saudi capital on Monday, according to Russian state television. Lavrov expressed his eagerness to move past a period of estrangement between the U.S. and Russia, stating that they are receptive to listening to their partners.
Kremlin’s Focus on Restoring Relations
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov highlighted that the talks will prioritize restoring the full spectrum of U.S.-Russian relations, paving the way for potential talks on the Ukrainian settlement, and arranging a meeting between the two presidents.
Bruce indicated that the goal of the meeting is to gauge the seriousness of Russia’s intentions for peace and whether detailed negotiations can commence.
Trump’s Role in Facilitating Talks
President Trump announced last week that he had spoken with Putin and that they mutually agreed to initiate negotiations between their respective teams. This conversation marked a departure from previous U.S. policy, which had isolated Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Trump subsequently informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the conversation. Trump has stated that Zelenskyy would be involved in the process without providing further details.
Zelenskyy’s Concerns
Zelenskyy expressed his country’s exclusion from the upcoming talks and stated that it would not accept the outcomes if Kyiv was not involved. He emphasized that the talks would be futile without Ukrainian participation.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Turkey on Monday and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, unrelated to the U.S.-Russia negotiations.
European Allies’ Consultations
In an interview on Fox News, Waltz dismissed suggestions that European allies were not being consulted on the negotiations. He cited the recent trip where Rubio, Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with allies in Europe.
Waltz emphasized the importance of European-led military security guarantees as a key aspect of a peace deal, criticizing the fact that a third of NATO countries have not met their agreed-upon contributions.
American Aid Recoupment
Waltz acknowledged the substantial U.S. aid provided to Ukraine and expressed that the American people should be compensated for their investment in the war.
