Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he came to Israel on his first leg of his trip to the Middle East in Tel Aviv, Israel on February 15, 2025.
Evelyn Hawkstan | Reuters
Senior U.S. President’s Officer Donald Trump’s According to U.S. lawmakers and a source familiar with the plan, the government will begin peaceful negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the coming days.
Secretary of State Marco RubioU.S. representative Michael McCaul told Reuters in Munich that U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Saudi Arabia.
Sources who know the plan confirmed the negotiations.
Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine in February 2022. Russia occupied one-fifth of Ukraine and demanded that Kyiv be in permanent neutrality under any peace agreement. Ukraine demands that Russia withdraw from captured land and hopes that NATO members or equal security guarantees will be made to prevent Moscow from attacking again.
Rubio called his Russian rival Sergei Lavrov on Saturday and discussed the conflict in Ukraine, both sides said. They agreed to contact regularly to prepare for meetings between the Russian presidents Vladimir Putin Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, Trump said.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman McCall said Ukraine’s president is his understanding Volodymyr Zelenskyy He was invited to a speech from Saudi Arabia.
McCall said the talks were intended to arrange meetings with Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy to “ultimately bring peace and end the conflict.”
Asked about a planned meeting between us and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy (attended the Munich Security Conference in Germany) told reporters: “Maybe there is something (on), but not on our table. Any invitations. ..(used to) Ukraine meets with some other envoys. “
He said it was strange for him to talk to us and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia: “If we (we (we (not) had any negotiations between us and our strategic partners. I remember, Russia is not ours Strategic Partner.”
Zelenskyy said on Friday that he would visit the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, but did not say when. However, Ukrainian leaders said he has no plans to meet with us or Russian officials during these visits.
Zelenskyy said earlier on Saturday that Ukraine will never accept any peace agreement behind or without Kiev’s involvement. Ukraine has repeatedly stated that it hopes to develop a joint strategy with the United States and Europe before any Trump-Pudin meeting.
Trump’s unilateral proposal to Putin on Wednesday, accompanied by obvious Ukrainian main demands, alerted Kiev and NATO European allies who said they were worried that the White House might not have their deal.
European officials have taken a very firm line, saying that no agreement can be enforced unless they and the Ukrainians are included in the negotiations.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump said Ukraine would be seated at the table in any peace talks with Russia over the end of the war.
Negotiations on key mineral agreements continue, Zelensky said Washington’s draft does not contain the security provisions required by Kiev. Three sources said the U.S. proposed to own 50% of Ukraine’s key minerals.
