Putin sending foreign minister to Saudi Arabia for talks with Trump officials

Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken a significant step towards potential peace negotiations for Ukraine by dispatching a group of senior officials to Saudi Arabia for meetings with the U.S., the Kremlin announced on Monday. The officials, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, are scheduled to meet with their U.S. counterparts on Tuesday to discuss a wide range of issues.

Among the key topics on the agenda is the restoration of diplomatic ties between Washington and Moscow, as well as a potential peace deal for Ukraine. The meeting will also explore the possibility of a face-to-face meeting between President Donald Trump and Putin in the near future.

Leading the U.S. delegation will be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and national security adviser Mike Waltz. This high-level meeting comes shortly after Trump disclosed that he had a phone conversation with Putin last week, during which they agreed to initiate negotiations promptly.

While Trump expressed optimism about the potential for progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approached the situation with caution. In a separate call with Trump, Zelenskyy expressed his distrust of Putin, labeling him as a liar and doubting his sincerity in seeking peace negotiations.

Despite Zelenskyy’s reservations, he believes that Putin may be influenced by Trump’s approach. The Ukrainian president emphasized the importance of not allowing any negotiations to take place without Ukraine’s involvement, rejecting any deals struck solely between the U.S. and Russia.

As negotiations unfold, the details of a potential peace deal remain uncertain. The U.S. delegation has indicated that the focus is on building trust and ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile, U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer has expressed willingness to deploy British troops to Ukraine as part of a peace agreement to ensure the country’s security.

As the war in Ukraine continues to devastate the region, the international community is closely monitoring the developments of the upcoming meetings between U.S. and Russian officials. The hope is that these discussions will pave the way for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and bring much-needed stability to the region.