U.S. and Russia set to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss peace
The date for the meeting between representatives of Russia and the United States in Saudi Arabia has been set. According to the TASS agency, the U.S. delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russia on the evening of February 16, anticipating significant progress in resolving the Ukrainian conflict.
Stephen Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, conveyed the information that the U.S. delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia for these important discussions and expects notable advancements in resolving the Ukrainian issue.
Representing the United States at the talks in Saudi Arabia will be U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Steve Witkoff. Their visit aims to engage in discussions with Russian envoys to help end the conflict in Ukraine.
American Congressman Michael McCaul stated on Saturday in Munich that the main topic of the talks will be preparing a meeting between the presidents of the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. The goal is to achieve peace and end the ongoing conflict. According to Reuters, it is not yet clear who will represent the Russian side during these preliminary talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine has not been invited to the talks. He emphasized that Kyiv will not begin negotiations with Russia without consulting its strategic partners. Zelensky also announced visits to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, although he did not provide specific dates.
Concerns of European allies
The talks between American diplomats and Russians have raised concerns among the United States' European allies. They fear being excluded from the peace process. U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Gen. Keith Kellogg, confirmed in Munich that Europe will not directly participate in the negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. "We will not repeat Minsk," he stated.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Marco Rubio had spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Both politicians decided to maintain regular contact ahead of the planned talks between Presidents Trump and Putin. Trump, who recently spoke by phone with Putin and Zelensky, has repeatedly declared his desire for a swift end to the war in Ukraine.
