The United States and Russia are set to engage in crucial face-to-face talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with the White House’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff confirming his travel to Saudi Arabia for discussions. This marks the first direct dialogue between the two nations since a significant three-year hiatus in their communications.
Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and close associate of former President Donald Trump, recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for an extensive three-hour discussion. His mission in Russia also included efforts to secure the release of an American teacher detained on marijuana possession charges.
Joining Witkoff in Saudi Arabia will be US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who are expected to meet with Russian negotiators. This diplomatic push follows a phone call between Trump and Putin, which ended a prolonged period of limited direct contact between Washington and Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly stated that any peace negotiations must include Ukraine, rejecting the notion of a deal made without his country’s involvement. Speaking to NBC, he emphasized that he would "never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine."
Witkoff mentioned that US officials are in separate discussions with Ukrainian representatives and underscored that Ukraine is integral to the negotiations. However, he did not clarify whether Ukrainian officials would be present in Saudi Arabia. Trump expressed optimism about Zelensky’s involvement in the talks but did not specify the details of his participation. He also indicated that European nations would be permitted to purchase US weapons for Ukraine.
When asked about the timeline for potential peace negotiations, Trump was noncommittal, stating only that efforts are underway to achieve a resolution and attributing the conflict’s escalation to the previous administration’s policies regarding Ukraine. As tensions continue, the outcome of these discussions could significantly impact the future of US-Russian relations and the ongoing war in Ukraine.