High-level Russian officials will meet with their American counterparts in Saudi Arabia to discuss restoring bilateral relations, negotiating a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine, and potentially arranging a summit between Presidents Putin and Trump, the Kremlin announced Monday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov will travel to Riyadh for talks scheduled for Tuesday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the U.S. delegation. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and national security advisor Mike Waltz will also participate, according to Witkoff’s Sunday appearance on Fox News.
Peskov emphasized that the discussions will primarily focus on rebuilding comprehensive U.S.-Russia relations, preparing for potential negotiations on a Ukrainian settlement, and facilitating a meeting between the two presidents.
These talks follow a recent phone call between Trump and Putin, during which Trump reported that they agreed to initiate immediate negotiations between their respective teams. This call marked a significant shift in U.S. policy, ending the isolation of Moscow following its February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. Trump subsequently informed Zelenskyy of his conversation with Putin.
Trump indicated on Sunday that Zelenskyy “will be involved” but offered no specifics, leaving the Ukrainian participation in the Saudi Arabian talks unclear.
A Ukrainian official confirmed that a Ukrainian delegation is in Saudi Arabia to prepare for a potential visit by Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy has maintained that he will not accept any negotiations on Ukraine without his country’s involvement. European governments have also voiced similar demands.
On Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Witkoff said he and Waltz are engaging in meetings at the President’s direction, aiming to achieve meaningful progress in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Witkoff avoided directly answering a question about potential territorial concessions from Ukraine during negotiations.
He stressed the importance of building trust and achieving a shared understanding that the war must end, highlighting this as the President’s primary directive.
Ukrainian Economy Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko did not confirm any connection between Zelenskyy’s potential Saudi Arabia trip and the announced U.S.-Russia talks. In a Facebook post, she stated the Ukrainian delegation’s focus is on strengthening economic ties and preparing to sign key economic agreements with regional countries.
Andriy Yermak, a senior Zelenskyy advisor, stated on Sunday that direct meetings between Ukrainian and Russian representatives are not currently feasible, asserting that a plan for ending the war and establishing a just peace must be developed first.
Mykhailo Podolyak, another Zelenskyy advisor, denied Ukraine’s participation in any planned U.S.-Russia meetings in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, stating that there are no worthwhile negotiation topics to discuss.