Top Trump administration officials are scheduled to hold talks with senior Russian officials in an effort to seek an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. National security adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to convene in Saudi Arabia for the meeting, as per sources familiar with the plans. The meeting is anticipated to take place in the coming days.
While the specific Russian officials attending the meeting have not been disclosed, reports suggest that the Kremlin is assembling a high-level negotiating team comprising top political, intelligence, and economic figures. Kirill Dmitriev, a key Russian official involved in a recent US prisoner release deal, is also expected to be part of the delegation.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul confirmed the upcoming talks during an interview at the Munich Security Conference, stating that Rubio, Waltz, and Witkoff are being dispatched to Saudi Arabia to engage in discussions with Ukrainian and Russian representatives regarding the situation in Ukraine.
Earlier indications from President Donald Trump suggested a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia in the near future, although no formal decision has been made. The President hinted at the involvement of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was credited by the administration for his role in facilitating the previous prisoner release deal, in the upcoming discussions.
Secretary of State Rubio is set to travel to Saudi Arabia as part of a broader trip that includes stops in Munich and the Middle East, with his arrival in Israel scheduled for Saturday.
