US and Russian officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to initiate discussions aimed at ending Moscow’s nearly three-year war in Ukraine. The planned talks were confirmed by a US lawmaker and a source familiar with the matter. However, Ukraine has not been invited, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has stated that Kyiv will not engage with Russia before consulting with its strategic partners.
Key US officials to attend talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Saudi Arabia for the discussions, according to US Representative Michael McCaul. While it remains unclear who will represent Russia in the talks, McCaul emphasised that the goal is to arrange a meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Zelenskiy to bring an end to the conflict.
Concerns among European allies
Trump, who assumed office on January 20, has repeatedly stated his commitment to swiftly ending the war. He recently held separate phone calls with both Putin and Zelenskiy, raising concerns among Washington’s European allies that they may be excluded from the peace process. These fears were reinforced when Trump’s Ukraine envoy confirmed that Europe would not have a direct role in the negotiations.
Parallel to the discussions, the US has sent a questionnaire to European capitals seeking their contributions to security guarantees for Kyiv. Meanwhile, a potential deal is being negotiated between the US and Ukraine, which could open up Ukraine’s vast natural resources to American investment.
(With Reuters inputs)