In the coming days, American diplomats will travel to Saudi Arabia to engage in discussions with Russian envoys regarding the conclusion of the war in Ukraine, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul announced at the Munich Security Conference. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine has not yet been invited to participate in these talks.
U.S.-Russia Talks in the Middle East
The U.S. delegation will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
According to McCaul, the primary agenda of the discussions will be to prepare for a high-level meeting between the presidents of the United States, Ukraine, and Russia to ultimately negotiate peace and bring the conflict to an end. Reuters has reported that it remains unclear who will represent the Russian side in these preliminary discussions.
Sources familiar with the matter have confirmed the planned talks, though the U.S. State Department has yet to officially comment on the situation.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky has expressed concern that Kyiv has not been invited to the negotiations. He emphasized that Ukraine will not enter discussions with Russia without prior consultations with its strategic partners. Nonetheless, he announced plans to visit the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, though specific dates have not been disclosed.
U.S.-Russia Diplomacy and European Concerns
Earlier on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Secretary of State Rubio had spoken with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. The two officials reportedly agreed to maintain regular contact ahead of planned negotiations between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump, who recently spoke with both Putin and Zelensky over the phone, has repeatedly vowed to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine. However, his diplomatic engagements have raised concerns among European allies, who fear being excluded from the peace process.
These fears were reinforced by U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, General Keith Kellogg, who stated at the Munich Security Conference that Europe would not have a direct seat at the negotiating table. “We do not want a repeat of the Minsk agreements,” he declared, referencing previous unsuccessful diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
As diplomatic maneuvers intensify, the coming weeks are expected to be crucial in determining the trajectory of peace efforts in Ukraine. The exclusion of European nations and the uncertainty surrounding Ukraine’s participation add further complexity to an already delicate geopolitical situation.