Senior US officers will reportedly meet with a Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia subsequent week to set the stage for an upcoming summit
Russian Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump might meet in Saudi Arabia by the tip of this month, Bloomberg has reported, citing nameless officers. Politico has equally claimed that plenty of senior US officers might be heading to the dominion to organize the bottom for an upcoming summit.
The studies come simply days after Trump and Putin held a cellphone dialog, which marked the primary recognized direct interplay between the US and Russian heads of state because the escalation of the Ukraine battle in February 2022. The 2 presidents agreed to proceed dialogue and prepare in-person conferences in a 3rd nation and state visits going ahead.
Chatting with the press hours after his cellphone name with Putin on Wednesday, President Trump said that he and his Russian counterpart would “most likely” meet in Saudi Arabia.
In its article on Saturday, Bloomberg, citing nameless sources, alleged that the US delegation is probably going comprised of nationwide safety advisers who’re presumably tasked with securing a date for the top-level assembly earlier than the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins this yr on February 28.
Across the similar time, Politico carried an analogous report, claiming that Nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Center East envoy might be heading to Saudi Arabia within the coming days. The publication famous that Trump’s particular envoy for Ukraine-Russia talks Keith Kellogg won’t be in attendance although.
Politico quoted Republican consultant from Texas Mike McCaul as confirming the make-up of the US workforce. In keeping with the media outlet, “there are not any plans for representatives from different main European powers to hitch the talks,” with Bloomberg additionally reporting that European officers haven’t been notified.
As for Ukrainians, Bloomberg alleged that whereas Kiev’s emissaries “are anticipated” to be current in Saudi Arabia, “additionally they don’t look like totally within the loop on the preparations.”
In the meantime, Fox Information reporter Nana Sajaia, citing an unnamed senior Ukrainian official, claimed in a put up on X on Saturday that the “Ukrainian aspect was ‘neither invited to, nor knowledgeable about’ coming U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia.”
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Russian and US leaders had agreed to first meet in a 3rd nation, with official state visits prone to comply with.
The official added that whereas “Saudi Arabia certainly cropped up” within the dialog, “no choice has been made as to the place [the meeting] will happen.”
Riyadh in flip said on Friday that it “welcomes holding the summit in its territory.”
