US and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss potential steps toward ending Moscow’s nearly three-year war in Ukraine, a US lawmaker and a source familiar with the planning confirmed on Saturday, according to Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met with US Vice President JD Vance in Germany on Friday, stated that Ukraine was not invited to the talks in Saudi Arabia and emphasized that Kyiv would not engage with Russia without first consulting its strategic partners.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and White House Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Saudi Arabia, according to US Representative Michael McCaul. It remains unclear who will represent Russia in the discussions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, McCaul said the goal of the talks was to arrange a meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Zelenskyy in an effort to “finally bring peace and end this conflict.”
A source with knowledge of the plans confirmed the scheduled talks between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. The US State Department has not yet commented on the matter.
Trump, who took office on January 20, has repeatedly vowed to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine. On Wednesday, he held separate phone calls with Putin and Zelenskyy, raising concerns among Washington’s European allies that they would be excluded from any peace negotiations.
Those fears were reinforced on Saturday when Trump’s Ukraine envoy stated that Europe would not have a seat at the table. This follows Washington’s decision to send a questionnaire to European capitals, asking what they could contribute to security guarantees for Kyiv.
On Saturday, Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and both agreed to maintain regular contact as preparations continue for a potential meeting between Putin and Trump, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy announced plans to visit the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey but did not specify a timeline. He also clarified that he has no plans to meet with US or Russian officials during these visits.
Moscow currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine and has been making slow advances in the east, while Ukraine faces manpower shortages as it attempts to defend its positions.
