A team of advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Russian officials next week in Saudi Arabia to begin negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, two U.S. government officials familiar with the matter told CBS News.
The delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, will represent Trump in discussions following his recent phone calls with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump confirmed the efforts, adding that the U.S. is working hard to facilitate peace and assuring that Zelensky will be involved in the talks.
Concerns have been raised about Ukraine's role in the negotiations, with European officials emphasizing that Kyiv must not be sidelined. Trump reaffirmed that Zelensky would have a say in the process and mentioned the possibility of allowing European nations to purchase U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine.
However, he expressed skepticism about Zelensky’s warning that Russia could escalate its war beyond Ukraine if the U.S. withdraws from NATO. Rubio, speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," on Feb. 16 said Trump would quickly determine whether Russia’s interest in peace is genuine or merely a tactic to buy time.
Discussions between the U.S. and Russia have already begun, with Rubio speaking to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the weekend, according to CBS.
The potential terms of an agreement remain unclear. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that "everything is on the table" but suggested Ukraine’s NATO membership is unlikely. Trump echoed this sentiment, saying that Russia has long opposed Ukraine joining the alliance and implying that this stance would not change. Hegseth also cast doubt on Ukraine's ability to reclaim all its territory, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Further high-level discussions are expected, with Trump confirming that he plans to meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia "very soon," though he did not specify a date.
Oleg Sukhov
