US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Arrives in Saudi Arabia Amidst Ukraine War Talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio touched down in Saudi Arabia on Monday, marking the second stop
of his inaugural Middle East tour. This visit comes ahead of anticipated discussions with Russian
officials aimed at ending Moscow’s war against Ukraine, which has now persisted for nearly three years.
Rubio’s plane landed in Riyadh after departing from Israel, where he is expected to meet with Saudi
officials to discuss pivotal issues, including President Donald Trump’s proposal for controlling the
devastated Gaza Strip, following over 15 months of conflict.
This trip to Saudi Arabia precedes talks with Russian officials, focusing on the cessation of the conflict
in Ukraine. The visit follows a phone call last week between President Trump and Russian President
Vladimir Putin, where Trump instructed senior officials to initiate negotiations to end a war he
repeatedly promised to resolve during his election campaign.
Saudi Arabia, which is also involved in discussions with Washington regarding Gaza’s future, has played
a role in early communications between the Trump administration and Putin, facilitating last week’s
prisoner exchange deal.
During his stay, Rubio is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to further these
discussions.
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