US and Russia hold key diplomatic talks in Riyadh

Riyadh — The top diplomats of the United States and Russia are set to meet in Saudi Arabia for critical discussions on the war in Ukraine. The Trump administration’s decision to hold these high-level talks in Riyadh highlights the kingdom’s re-emergence as a diplomatic powerhouse after being largely shunned under former President Joe Biden’s administration.

This marks the first major meeting between Washington and Moscow since President Donald Trump took office. During the discussions, senior US and Russian officials will attempt to mend fractured relations and take preliminary steps toward resolving the Ukraine conflict. Additionally, the talks will lay the groundwork for an upcoming summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

While both sides have downplayed the likelihood of a major breakthrough, the very occurrence of these talks has sparked concern in Ukraine and across Europe, particularly given the United States’ recent diplomatic outreach to the Kremlin.

Saudi Arabia’s return to global diplomacy

The shadow over Saudi Arabia and its de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, appears to be lifting. However, concerns over the kingdom’s human rights record persist.

As a historic ally of the United States, Saudi Arabia has remained neutral in the Ukraine war. The world’s leading oil exporter maintains close ties with Russia on energy policy while simultaneously providing hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

During the Biden administration, Saudi Arabia shifted its foreign policy focus, moving away from heavy reliance on the US by strengthening relations with Russia and China. The kingdom has now signaled a willingness to prioritize its own interests, a stance that aligns more closely with the transactional nature of President Trump’s foreign policy.

Trump’s first foreign visit during his initial term was to Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom has embraced his return to power. One possible reason for Trump’s focus on Riyadh could be his desire to finalize the Abraham Accords, an initiative he launched during his first term. However, the ongoing war in Gaza has complicated those efforts and may increase the price Saudi Arabia demands for a peace agreement with Israel.

A diplomatic win for Saudi Arabia

“It’s a big coup for Saudi. The two superpowers are coming to Riyadh to resolve their differences,” said Ali Shihabi, an advisor to the Saudi government.

“It is quite prestigious and affirms the kingdom’s growing soft power,” he told AFP.

Riyadh will also host an Arab summit on Friday to discuss President Trump’s controversial proposal for a US-led takeover of Gaza and the forced displacement of its more than two million residents. Leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, along with officials from Egypt and Jordan—potential destinations for displaced Palestinians—will attend the meeting.

Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic resurgence follows Qatar’s recent mediation in brokering a fragile truce in the Israel-Hamas war.

“Saudi Arabia has successfully leveraged the geopolitical tensions between the West and Russia over the Ukraine crisis, particularly in the oil sector, without jeopardizing its relationships with either side,” said Rabha Seif Allam of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo.

“This strategy has helped Saudi Arabia overcome the diplomatic isolation it faced after the Khashoggi affair,” she added.

US-Russia talks commence in Riyadh

The upcoming meeting marks a significant shift after three years of near-total diplomatic freeze between the US and Russia due to the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, European leaders met in Paris on Monday to refine their approach, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Turkey on Tuesday.

In Riyadh, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday. Russia, in turn, dispatched Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and presidential advisor Yuri Ushakov to engage with their American counterparts.

“This meeting is immensely significant from a Saudi perspective as it boosts its global diplomatic standing and solidifies its role as a responsible global player committed to fostering peace,” said Umer Karim, an expert on Saudi foreign policy.

“It demonstrates that Mohammed bin Salman has cultivated strong, personal relationships with both President Trump and President Putin,” he added.

Karim, a University of Birmingham academic, emphasized that the Saudi crown prince stands to gain significantly from Riyadh’s expanding diplomatic engagements. He is “becoming a crucial actor” on the international stage.