Rubio Arrives in Saudi Arabia for High-Level Talks with Russia on Ukraine Conflict
RIYADH, Feb 17 — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Saudi Arabia on Monday, ahead of scheduled talks with Russian officials aimed at finding a resolution to Moscow’s nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine. The discussions come after a recent phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Trump ordered his officials to initiate peace talks—vowing to end the war, a key promise from his presidential campaign.
Saudi Arabia’s Role in Diplomacy
Saudi Arabia, which has also been involved in US discussions regarding the future of the Gaza Strip, has played a pivotal role in facilitating early diplomatic contacts between the Trump administration and Moscow. This includes securing a significant prisoner swap last week. Rubio, who held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday, is set to meet Russian representatives in Riyadh, accompanied by Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. While the identities of the Russian officials remain undisclosed, the talks are expected to take place on Tuesday, according to Kommersant.
A New Era of Diplomatic Engagement
The upcoming talks are seen as some of the first high-level in-person discussions between US and Russian officials in years, laying the groundwork for a potential meeting between the US and Russian presidents. Rubio expressed on Sunday that the next few weeks would be crucial in determining whether Putin is genuinely committed to pursuing peace.
Ukrainian President Zelensky’s Regional Tour
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also in the region, having arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. He is expected to visit both Saudi Arabia and Turkey, though no specific dates have been confirmed. Despite his regional travel, Zelensky has made it clear that he does not plan to meet with either Russian or US officials, and Ukraine is not invited to the Saudi-hosted talks.
Gaza on the Agenda
Rubio is also expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) in Riyadh, where discussions will likely touch on Trump’s controversial proposal to resettle Palestinian residents of Gaza in other Arab nations, with the US leading the reconstruction efforts. This idea has sparked significant backlash across the Arab world and heightened fears among Palestinians about being displaced from Gaza, which has been devastated by the ongoing conflict following the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023.
Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations have rejected the resettlement proposal, with Riyadh leading efforts to develop a counterproposal that could involve a Gulf-led reconstruction fund and an effort to marginalize Hamas. Additionally, MbS has reiterated Saudi Arabia’s stance that it will not normalize relations with Israel without a clear path toward the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Rubio’s visit to Israel on Sunday also saw him pledge ongoing support for Israel in its regional competition with Iran, further highlighting the complex diplomatic dynamics at play in the region.