Rubio meets Saudi Arabian officials ahead of US-Russia talks expected to lay groundwork for Trump-Putin summit

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Saudi Arabian officials on Monday ahead of key diplomatic discussions between U.S. and Russian representatives, aimed at negotiating an end to the Ukraine conflict.

Accompanied by U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Rubio held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at his Riyadh palace. Earlier in the day, Rubio also met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, following his visit to Israel as part of his first Middle East tour as Secretary of State.

Scheduled for Tuesday, the U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia notably exclude Ukrainian officials. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that Rubio, Waltz, and Witkoff would lead discussions with the Russian delegation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov departed for Riyadh on Monday, as reported by Russian state television. Speaking in Moscow, Lavrov expressed optimism about moving past a period of strained U.S.-Russia relations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that discussions would focus on reestablishing diplomatic ties, potential Ukraine peace talks, and preparations for a meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin.

Bruce emphasized that the objective is to assess Russia’s willingness to engage in meaningful peace negotiations. She clarified that while Ukraine is absent from Tuesday’s meeting, any formal peace agreement would require Kyiv’s direct involvement.

These preliminary discussions are expected to set the stage for an upcoming summit between Trump and Putin. Trump recently disclosed that he had spoken with Putin, agreeing to initiate immediate diplomatic negotiations. Following this conversation, Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to brief him on the developments.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has convened an emergency meeting in Paris with European leaders to address the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

On Fox News’ "Sunday Morning Futures," Witkoff stated that he and Waltz are operating under the president’s directives and are hopeful about progress in the peace talks. However, he avoided commenting on whether Ukraine might have to cede territory as part of a negotiated settlement.

Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations were unrealistic and hinted that Kyiv might need to adjust its territorial expectations. In response, Zelenskyy asserted on Monday that Ukraine would not accept any settlement in which it was not directly involved. Speaking to journalists in the UAE, he dismissed the U.S.-Russia talks as unproductive due to Ukraine’s exclusion. Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Turkey on Monday and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, though he stated these trips are unrelated to the negotiations.

During an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," Waltz dismissed concerns that European allies were being sidelined in negotiations, highlighting recent visits by Rubio, Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to European capitals. Bessent, in particular, traveled to Kyiv, while Vance met with Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference.

Waltz stressed that any peace agreement must ensure a "permanent end to the war," arguing that the conflict has become a World War I-style battlefield. He insisted that long-term security guarantees should be led by Europe, criticizing NATO members who have not met their defense spending commitments.

Regarding U.S. financial support for Ukraine under the previous administration, Waltz asserted that American taxpayers deserve to see a return on their investment, emphasizing the need for some form of compensation for the billions spent on the war effort.

This article was reported by journalist Jimmy.