U.S. Administration Begins Discussions with Russia and Ukraine to Tackle Ongoing Conflict
Discussions spearheaded by high-ranking officials from President Trump's team are set to begin in Saudi Arabia following recent diplomatic changes.
A high-ranking delegation from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is scheduled to hold talks in Saudi Arabia with negotiators from Russia and Ukraine regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as confirmed by U.S. officials on Saturday.
The delegation will comprise Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff.
This diplomatic initiative follows Trump's recent disclosure of a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking their first discussion since Trump resumed his presidency.
In this conversation, both leaders allegedly concurred to start discussions focused on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine.
While officials have not provided specific information about the timing of the meetings or the delegates' travel plans, Rubio was already scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia as part of his inaugural Middle Eastern tour, which began on Saturday with his arrival in Israel, according to an AFP journalist’s report.
Earlier on Saturday, Rubio spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, reiterating President Trump's pledge to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, as reported by the U.S. State Department.
Steve Witkoff, who played a role in a recent prisoner swap that enabled the Trump-Putin conversation, has been actively involved in efforts concerning U.S. detainees, including a recent trip to Moscow to secure the release of detained American Marc Fogel.
In a social media post earlier this week, Trump announced that he has tasked Rubio, Waltz, Witkoff, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe with accelerating negotiations to find a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, reactions from Kyiv and its European partners express concern over Trump's sudden initiative, with fears of being excluded from discussions that could influence Ukraine's future amid a significant military escalation in the region, recognized as the largest ground conflict in Europe since World War II.
The delegation will comprise Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff.
This diplomatic initiative follows Trump's recent disclosure of a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking their first discussion since Trump resumed his presidency.
In this conversation, both leaders allegedly concurred to start discussions focused on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine.
While officials have not provided specific information about the timing of the meetings or the delegates' travel plans, Rubio was already scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia as part of his inaugural Middle Eastern tour, which began on Saturday with his arrival in Israel, according to an AFP journalist’s report.
Earlier on Saturday, Rubio spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, reiterating President Trump's pledge to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, as reported by the U.S. State Department.
Steve Witkoff, who played a role in a recent prisoner swap that enabled the Trump-Putin conversation, has been actively involved in efforts concerning U.S. detainees, including a recent trip to Moscow to secure the release of detained American Marc Fogel.
In a social media post earlier this week, Trump announced that he has tasked Rubio, Waltz, Witkoff, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe with accelerating negotiations to find a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, reactions from Kyiv and its European partners express concern over Trump's sudden initiative, with fears of being excluded from discussions that could influence Ukraine's future amid a significant military escalation in the region, recognized as the largest ground conflict in Europe since World War II.
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