Following the directives of His Royal Highness (HRH) Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Riyadh is hosting discussions between the Russian Federation and the United States of America (U.S.) today. This initiative is part of the Kingdom’s continuous efforts to foster global security and peace, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Last week, Saudi Arabia welcomed the phone discussion between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin as officials showed interest in bringing both leaders together in the Kingdom.
Also on Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, SPA reported.
On Monday, Saudi Crown Prince met at Al-Yamamah Palace U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. HRH welcomed Secretary Rubio and his accompanying delegation to the Kingdom, while the U.S. secretary expressed his pleasure at visiting Saudi Arabia and meeting with HRH the Crown Prince.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the bilateral relations between their countries and discussed ways to enhance and develop them in various fields. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and the ongoing efforts to address them to achieve security and stability.
The meeting was attended by Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz; Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah; Saudi Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, and National Security Adviser Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban; and Secretary to HRH the Crown Prince Dr. Bandar bin Obaid Al-Rasheed.
On the U.S. side, the meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Michael Waltz; U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Alison Dilworth; U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Andrew Peek; Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State Michael Needham; Director of Policy Planning Michael Anton, and a number of officials.
Saudi Arabia welcomes potential Trump-Putin summit in Kingdom
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commends the phone call that took place between President Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America and President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation on 12 February 2025, and the announcement regarding the possibility of holding a summit attended by their excellencies the two Presidents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Foreign Ministry stated in a release.
“The Kingdom expresses its welcome to hosting a summit in Saudi Arabia,” the ministry emphasized, reiterating “its ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.”
The ministry further highlighted that “over the past three years, the Kingdom continued these efforts, which included hosting numerous meetings on this matter.”
Negotiations on Ukraine conflict
Following his conversation with Putin, Trump mentioned on Wednesday that they had agreed to “immediately” commence negotiations aimed at concluding the three-year-long conflict in Ukraine. He also communicated with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Moreover, in a separate discussion with journalists at the Oval Office, Trump indicated that he could meet Putin in the “not too distant future” to bring an end to the “bloody horrible war.”
U.S. billionaire Elon Musk recently expressed his views on the upcoming Russian-American discussions that may occur in Riyadh, stating, “This is what competent leadership looks like.”
As part of the increasing effectiveness of Saudi diplomacy, Riyadh has emerged as a potential host for a significant summit featuring U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This gathering aims to kickstart peace negotiations concerning Ukraine, with Russian sources indicating that the first peace talks are set to commence on Tuesday.
The convening of this highly-anticipated summit in Riyadh reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a significant player whose influence extends far beyond the regional context, allowing it to exert its political weight on the global stage. This initiative seeks to address the realities of various issues and propose essential solutions to ongoing crises, thereby promoting global stability.
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Ukrainian government has arrived in the capital, Riyadh, to lay the groundwork for the anticipated visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Discussions between Russia and Ukraine are slated to begin in Riyadh, facilitated by Saudi mediation.
