US, Russia Confirm Plans to Hold High-Level Talks in Saudi Arabia Amidst Ukraine Conflict
Senior officials from the United States and Russia are scheduled to meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss potential pathways to resolving the conflict in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reports.
The meetings, confirmed by both the US State Department and the Kremlin, aim to establish a foundation for future peace negotiations.
Representing Russia will be Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to President Vladimir Putin, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The US delegation will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as confirmed by the State Department.
Peskov said the focus of the meeting “will be dedicated to possible negotiations on a Ukrainian resolution and organising a meeting between the two presidents.” The meeting follows reports that a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and President Putin could take place in Saudi Arabia, with Trump stating over the weekend that such a meeting could happen “very soon.”
Reuters, citing Peskov, reported that the discussions will also address “restoring the whole complex of Russian-American relations.” Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, is also expected to participate.
Secretary Rubio indicated on Sunday that the Tuesday meeting aims to initiate a broader dialogue that “would include Ukraine and would involve the end of the war.”
While Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine will not participate in the talks in Saudi Arabia or recognize any potential agreement reached without Kyiv’s involvement, he plans to visit Saudi Arabia separately on Wednesday. Zelensky intends to seek updates on the talks from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The meetings in Riyadh come as European leaders convene in Paris to discuss their response to a shift in US policy regarding Ukraine. The United States has indicated that Europe is not expected to be involved in direct talks between the US and Russia regarding the conflict. President Trump has stated his intention to directly discuss “peace in Ukraine” with President Putin.
