The United States and Russia are set to begin crucial talks on the ongoing Ukraine crisis this Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, according to reports from CNN.
Representing the U.S. delegation will be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Meanwhile, Russia is assembling a high-level negotiation team composed of senior political, intelligence, and economic officials, though their identities remain unconfirmed.
Saudi Arabia is playing a key role as the host and mediator of these discussions, with a Saudi national security adviser leading their team. A Saudi official confirmed the country's involvement in both facilitating and monitoring the negotiations.
Interestingly, Ukrainian and European officials have not been invited to the Saudi-hosted talks. However, a \"dual-track\" negotiation approach is planned, with separate discussions taking place in Kyiv this week, as stated by Keith Kellogg, the Trump administration's Russia-Ukraine envoy.
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that Ukrainians would be involved in the negotiations, and Rubio has mentioned that if initial talks proceed positively, both Ukraine and Europe may join the discussions.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is actively engaged in strengthening economic ties in the region. Currently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss economic cooperation, Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia soon to sign multiple economic agreements with various countries in the region, as announced by Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
However, Zelenskyy emphasized at the Munich Security Conference that while he plans to visit Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Türkiye, he does not intend to meet with any Russian or U.S. delegations during these trips. \"I will not meet with Russians, and I will not meet with Americans there,\" he asserted.
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U.S.-Russia talks on Ukraine crisis set to begin in Saudi Arabia
cgtn.com
