Saudi Arabia supported the proposal to hold a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Riyadh, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Feb. 14.
The statement came days after Trump held separate calls with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He called Putin first on Feb. 12, saying later that the two leaders can meet in Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to negotiate an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) expresses its welcome to hosting the summit in Saudi Arabia, and reaffirms its ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine," the ministry said.
Saudi Arabia hosted an international summit on the peace formula in August 2023. The country has also played an important role in negotiating prisoner exchanges with Russia.
At the same time, Riyadh has maintained close economic ties with Moscow, which have strengthened following the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Russia's subsequent economic isolation from the West.
The extent of Ukraine's involvement in the U.S.-Russia talks remained unclear. President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 14 that he is planning to visit Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates to discuss other topics such as children kidnapped by Russia.
Zelensky and Trump also agreed to begin working toward ending the war, according to Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office.
Ukraine's president also said that he was ready to meet with Putin only after there is a joint plan with Trump and the EU. Kyiv insists that no talks about Ukraine and ending of Russia's all-out war should be held without Ukraine.
Martin Fornusek
