Washington, February 16, 2025 – The Europe Today: Russian President Vladimir Putin and former US President Donald Trump may meet in Saudi Arabia by the end of this month, according to reports by Bloomberg and Politico, citing anonymous officials.
The reports come just days after Trump and Putin held a phone conversation, their first direct interaction since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The two leaders agreed to continue dialogue and arrange in-person meetings in a third country, potentially leading to official state visits.
US Delegation Heads to Saudi Arabia
Bloomberg reported that a US delegation, including national security advisers, is expected to visit Saudi Arabia in the coming days to secure a date for the meeting before the start of Ramadan on February 28.
Politico, citing sources, stated that the delegation may include National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff. However, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine-Russia talks, Keith Kellogg, will not attend.
No European Representatives or Ukrainian Officials Informed
According to Politico and Bloomberg, there are no plans for representatives from major European powers to participate in the talks. Additionally, Ukrainian representatives are expected to be present in Saudi Arabia, but they “do not appear to be fully informed” about the preparations.
Meanwhile, Fox News reporter Nana Sajaia, citing a senior Ukrainian official, claimed that Kyiv was neither invited nor informed about the upcoming US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia.
Kremlin and Riyadh’s Reactions
On Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin and Trump agreed to meet in a third country before planning official state visits. While Saudi Arabia was discussed, he noted that no final decision has been made on the location.
In response, the Saudi government issued a statement on Friday, expressing its willingness to host the summit.
