The reports come just days after Trump and Putin held a phone conversation, which marked the first known direct interaction between the US and Russian heads of state since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The two presidents agreed to continue dialogue and arrange in-person meetings in a third country as well as state visits going forward.
Speaking to the press hours after his phone call with Putin on Wednesday, President Trump stated that he and his Russian counterpart would “probably” meet in Saudi Arabia.
In its article on Saturday, Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, alleged that the US delegation is likely to be comprised of national security advisers who are presumably tasked with securing a date for the top-level meeting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts this year on February 28.
At around the same time, Politico carried a similar report, claiming that National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East envoy, will be heading to Saudi Arabia in the coming days. However, the publication noted that Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine-Russia talks, Keith Kellogg, will not be in attendance.
Politico quoted Congressman Michael McCaul as confirming the makeup of the US team. According to the media outlet, “there are no plans for representatives from other major European powers to join the talks,” with Bloomberg also reporting that officials from America’s European NATO allies have not been notified.
As for Ukrainians, Bloomberg alleged that while Kiev’s emissaries “are expected” to be present in Saudi Arabia, “they also don’t appear to be fully in the loop on the preparations.”
Fox News reporter Nana Sajaia, citing an unnamed senior Ukrainian official, claimed in a post on X on Saturday that the “Ukrainian side was ‘neither invited to, nor informed about’ coming US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia.”
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Russian and US leaders had agreed to first meet in a third country, with official state visits likely to follow.
The official added that while “Saudi Arabia indeed cropped up” in the conversation, “no decision has been made as to where [the meeting] will take place.”
Riyadh in turn stated on Friday that it “welcomes holding the summit in its territory.”
On Saturday, Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday. According to Moscow, the two diplomats agreed to maintain regular contact in an effort to eventually lift unilateral sanctions that have hindered “mutually beneficial” economic cooperation.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov and Rubio reaffirmed their commitment to restoring a “mutually respectful dialogue” and addressing “longstanding issues in Russian-American relations.”
“Their goal is to remove unilateral barriers inherited from the previous US administration that have hindered mutually beneficial trade, economic, and investment cooperation,” the ministry stated. The diplomats also discussed ways to resolve the tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and consulate closures of recent years.
A brief readout from the US State Department noted that Rubio reiterated Trump’s dedication to resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The statement added that the two officials explored potential cooperation on “a number of other bilateral issues.”
Moscow said Lavrov and Rubio agreed to maintain regular contact, including coordinating preparations for a meeting between Putin and Trump.
