Several Western media outlets reported on Saturday (February 15) that senior officials from the United States government are heading to Saudi Arabia to begin three-way peace talks with representatives from Russia and Ukraine.
This meeting could signify an important moment in President Trump’s pursuit of a peace process.
According to Reuters, Politico Europe, and other sources, U.S. Congressman Mike McCaul and several informed sources familiar with the plan have stated that senior U.S. officials will start peace talks with representatives from Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.
McCaul, the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, confirmed during a media interview in Munich that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will be traveling to Saudi Arabia.
Rubio had a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that both sides agreed to stay in regular contact and prepare for a meeting between Russian President Putin and Trump.
McCaul mentioned that Ukrainian President Zelensky has been invited to join the talks in Saudi Arabia.
The talks aim to arrange a meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky to ultimately achieve peace and end the conflict.
In a speech at the White House on Thursday, Trump stated that Ukraine would have a seat at any peace negotiations with Russia to end the war.
In February 2022, Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine, occupying about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and demanding territorial concessions while seeking Ukraine’s permanent neutrality. Ukraine, on the other hand, seeks the withdrawal of Russian forces from its territory and desires NATO membership or equivalent security assurances to deter future Russian aggression.
When asked about the planned meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, Zelensky, who was attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany, responded by saying, “There may be something on the negotiating table, but not on our table. I haven’t seen any invitation… (to allow) Ukraine to meet with other envoys.”
Zelensky added, “It would be strange for us to talk with American and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia if we haven’t had negotiations with our strategic partners. I remember that Russia is not our strategic partner.”
Zelensky announced on Friday that he will visit the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey without specifying specific dates. However, he stated that he does not plan to meet with U.S. or Russian officials during these visits.
Ukraine has repeatedly expressed its desire to develop a joint strategy with the U.S. and Europe before a meeting between Trump and Putin.
Zelensky expressed skepticism about Putin’s readiness for genuine peace negotiations. “Trump told me that Putin wants to end the war. I told him, ‘Putin is a liar. I hope you can pressure him because I don’t trust him,'” Zelensky said in Munich.
The absence of representatives from major European countries invited to attend the meeting may anger NATO allies.
At the Munich conference, European senior officials emphasized the necessity for Ukraine and the European Union to directly participate in any negotiations between Trump and Putin. They also stressed that a peace agreement cannot merely pause the war or allow Russia to regroup and launch future attacks, as any agreement must be effectively implemented.