By Sarah Baafi
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Saudi Arabia to engage in significant discussions with Russian officials aimed at resolving the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has persisted for nearly three years. This diplomatic effort follows a recent phone conversation between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where they agreed to initiate negotiations to end the conflict.
The talks are scheduled for Tuesday and mark one of the first high-level, in-person meetings between U.S. and Russian officials in years. Rubio will be accompanied by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, while the specific Russian representatives remain unspecified. The outcome of these negotiations is crucial, as Rubio indicated that the coming days would reveal whether Putin is genuinely committed to peace.
In addition to discussions on Ukraine, Rubio is expected to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) to address Trump’s controversial proposal regarding the resettlement of Palestinian residents from Gaza, which has sparked outrage across the Arab world. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza escalated following the October 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel, leading to significant casualties on both sides and a fragile ceasefire established last month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also in the region but has stated he does not plan to engage with U.S. or Russian officials during this visit, reflecting concerns that Ukraine’s interests may be sidelined in these talks.
