On February 17, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio arrived in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other officials on Tuesday. The discussions will focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the restoration of U.S.-Russia relations. This meeting will also prepare for a meeting between U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are set to arrive in Riyadh later on Monday. They will participate in the talks between Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy advisor to President Putin, will fly to Riyadh on Monday. They are expected to meet with their American counterparts on Tuesday to primarily discuss broader U.S.-Russia relations.
“The meeting will also focus on preparing for possible negotiations on resolving the Ukraine issue and organizing a meeting between the two presidents,” Peskov added.
When asked about a potential meeting between Putin and Trump in Saudi Arabia later this month, Peskov declined to comment.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that Rubio, Waltz, and Witkoff will meet with the Russian delegation in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Kremlin spokesperson Peskov told CNN, “It is good that we gather for talks, it is a very positive [development]. But it’s a bit too early to make any predictions now. Let’s wait until Tuesday to see how the dialogue starts.”
On February 12, after a phone call between Trump and Putin, they discussed ending the Ukraine conflict and agreed to “immediately start negotiations.” Trump also stated that he had instructed Rubio, Waltz, and Witkoff, among others, to lead the negotiations.
Rubio had a phone call with Lavrov on Saturday and during an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, he mentioned that Trump would soon find out if Putin is serious about peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Although Ukraine will not participate in the U.S.-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian President Zelensky is set to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this week. According to the Turkish President’s office, Zelensky will also visit Turkey for talks with President Erdogan.
Zelensky reiterated on Monday that Ukraine should be part of any discussions regarding its future.
Rubio played down concerns about excluding Europe and Ukraine from the U.S.-Russia talks on CBS’s program. He stated that the negotiation process has not truly begun yet. If negotiations do start, Ukraine will “have to be a part of it” because they are the invaded party, and European nations will also be involved because they have imposed sanctions on Putin and Russia. “We just haven’t reached that stage yet,” he said.
Apart from the Russia-Ukraine issue, Rubio’s visit to Saudi Arabia this time may also involve discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the Gaza issue.