Rubio meets Saudi crown prince, international minister forward of US-Russia talks

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Saudi Arabian officers Monday forward of deliberate talks within the nation between United States diplomats and their Russian counterparts meant to barter an finish to the Ukraine struggle. 

Rubio was joined by U.S. Nationwide Safety Advisor Michael Waltz and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. particular envoy to the Center East, in a gathering with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at his palace within the capital metropolis of Riyadh. Rubio additionally met with Saudi Arabia’s Overseas Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud earlier Monday after touring to Riyadh from Israel throughout his first journey to the Center East as secretary of state.

Talks are scheduled for Tuesday in Saudi Arabia between the U.S. and Russia. Ukrainian officers are notably anticipated to be absent from the negotiating desk. 

Rubio, Waltz and Witkoff will meet the Russian delegation, State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Feb. 17, 2025.  (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP through Getty Photographs)

Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s international affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov set off for the Saudi capital on Monday, in line with Russian state TV.  

Addressing reporters in Moscow on Monday, Lavrov stated he seemed ahead to placing an “completely irregular interval” of estrangement between the U.S. and Russia behind them, in line with the Washington Publish. 

“We wish to hearken to our companions,” Lavrov reportedly stated. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated the talks will likely be primarily centered on “restoring all the vary of U.S.-Russian relations, in addition to making ready doable talks on the Ukrainian settlement and organizing a gathering of the 2 presidents.” 

Bruce stated the assembly is geared toward figuring out how critical the Russians are about wanting peace and whether or not detailed negotiations may be began.

Saudi Arabia’s Overseas Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud receives Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Saudi Overseas Ministry headquarters in Riyadh on Feb. 17, 2025.  (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP through Getty Photographs)

“I believe the aim, clearly, for everybody is to find out if that is one thing that may transfer ahead,” she informed reporters touring with Rubio in Riyadh, in line with the Related Press.

Bruce stated that although Ukraine wouldn’t be on the desk for Tuesday’s talks, precise peace negotiations would solely happen with Ukraine’s involvement. 

Tuesday’s talks are anticipated to put the groundwork for the summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump stated he spoke to Putin on the telephone final week and so they “agreed to have our respective groups begin negotiations instantly.” The decision upended years of U.S. coverage, ending the isolation of Moscow over its Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. Trump phoned Zelenskyy afterward to tell him about their dialog.

Trump on Sunday informed reporters that Zelenskyy “will likely be concerned” however didn’t elaborate. 

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In the meantime, French President Emmanuel Macron is convening an emergency assembly between the principle European powers in Paris on Monday to debate the Russia-Ukraine battle. 

Talking on Fox Information’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Witkoff stated he and Waltz will likely be “having conferences on the course of the president,” and hope to make “some actually good progress with regard to Russia-Ukraine.”

Witkoff didn’t immediately reply to a query about whether or not Ukraine must quit a “good portion” of its territory as a part of any negotiated settlement. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth stated final week that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and advised Kyiv ought to abandon hopes of successful all its territory again from Russia. 

The Ukrainian president stated Monday his nation had not been invited to the upcoming talks and received’t settle for the end result if Kyiv doesn’t participate. The U.S.-Russia talks would “yield no outcomes,” given the absence of any Ukrainian officers, Zelenskyy stated on a convention name with journalists from the United Arab Emirates, in line with the AP. Zelenskyy stated he would journey to Turkey on Monday and to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, however that his journey was unrelated to the U.S.-Russia talks.

Rubio meets with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Feb. 17, 2025. On a separate sofa are Waltz and U.S. cost d’affaires Alison Dilworth. Witkoff, not pictured, was on one other sofa within the room.  (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP through Getty Photographs)

In an look on “Fox Information Sunday,” Waltz rejected the notion that European allies aren’t being consulted on negotiating an finish to the Russia-Ukraine struggle, noting how Rubio, Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spent final week in Europe assembly with allies. Bessent, specifically, traveled to Kyiv, whereas Vance met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Munich Safety Convention. 

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Waltz stated one of many key tenants in negotiating a peace deal could be making certain “a everlasting finish to the struggle,” describing how the battle has devolved “right into a World Conflict I-style meat grinder of human beings.” He stated long-term navy safety ensures need to be European-led, criticizing how a 3rd of NATO nations aren’t contributing what they agreed upon a decade in the past. 

As for the billions in U.S. assist despatched to Ukraine in the course of the Biden administration, Waltz stated the American individuals “need to be recouped, need to have some sort of payback for the billions they’ve invested on this struggle.” 

The Related Press contributed to this report.