The Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia confirmed on Friday it is interested in hosting a summit between President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the near future after Trump floated the possibility.
President Trump held a phone conversation with Putin on Wednesday in which the two agreed to meet in person on at least one occasion, followed by a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Both talks focused on plans to end the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began during former President Joe Biden’s term after Biden lifted Trump-era sanctions on a proposed pipeline connecting Russia to Western Europe known as Nord Stream 2.
Following the conversations with both presidents, Trump told reporters in Washington that he would be happy to travel to Russia to meet with Putin and that he expected the Russian strongman to come to the United States. He also suggested Saudi Arabia as a third, neutral territory to host a summit.
“We ultimately expect to meet,” Trump said of Putin. “In fact, we expect that he’ll come here, and I’ll go there, and we’re going to meet also, probably in Saudi Arabia. The first time we’ll meet in Saudi Arabia.”
Riyadh responded enthusiastically to its mention as a potential summit host location. The Saudi Foreign Ministry published a statement on Friday stating that it “commends the phone call that took place” between the two leaders “and the announcement regarding the possibility of holding a summit attended by their excellencies the two Presidents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
“The Kingdom expresses its welcome to hosting the summit in Saudi Arabia, and reaffirms its ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine, which began with the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis,” the statement read.
#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commends the phone call that took place between President Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America and President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation on 12 February 2025, and the announcement regarding the… pic.twitter.com/wrccgdrwQx
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) February 14, 2025
Independent of that statement, Zelensky announced on Friday that he is planning a tour to several Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, in the near future to discuss trade and peace, as well as regional concerns in the Middle East.
In a social media statement following the calls, Trump described his conversation with Putin as “highly productive.” Among the topics Trump listed as part of the talks were Ukraine, the Middle East, “energy, artificial intelligence … and various other subjects.”
“We want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, ‘COMMON SENSE.’ We both believe very strongly in it,” Trump wrote.
Trump similarly celebrated his phone call with Zelensky as positive.
“The conversation went very well. He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE,” Trump said in a separate statement on his website Truth Social. “We discussed a variety of topics having to do with the War, but mostly, the meeting that is being set up on Friday in Munich, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the Delegation.”
Trump did not elaborate in his comments to reporters on why he considered Saudi Arabia a workable site for a meeting with Putin, but the country is one of the few to enjoy friendly relations with both Ukraine and Russia and has been involved in several attempts to make peace, including prisoner swaps and humanitarian aid deals. In 2023, for example, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a $400-million donation to Ukraine, including $300 million in oil products and $100 million in humanitarian aid for war-affected civilians.
“Ukraine is grateful to Saudi Arabia for its support. We value His Royal Highness’ willingness to help restore peace sooner,” Zelensky said in a statement at the time.
File/Painted Matryoshka dolls also known as Russian nesting dolls, bearing the faces of Russian President Vladimir Putin and USA President Donald Trump on display in a souvenir shop in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 31, 2020. (Sergey Nikolaev/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Riyadh has simultaneously kept friendly relations and open trade with Russia, resisting Western pressure to impose sanctions. Later in 2023, Mohammed bin Salman welcomed Putin for an in-person meeting to discuss trade, defense, and security concerns. Bin Salman made a point of emphasizing that Saudi Arabia would not ostracized Russia.
“I would like to reiterate, Mr President, that you are a cherished guest here in Saudi Arabia. We welcome you on behalf of its government and its people,” the crown prince said to Putin.
“Much has happened in our relations during this time, but over the past seven years, they have certainly reached a truly unprecedented level,” Putin said during that meeting. “This was achieved owing to the wise policy of your father, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King of Saudi Arabia with your direct participation.”
Zelensky has expressed concerns in the past about talks involving Ukraine that did not include him – a likely situation should Trump and Putin meet in Saudi Arabia. In a conversation with the Associated Press in early February, Zelensky warned that, while he was comfortable with Russia and America having “their own relations … talking about Ukraine without us – it is dangerous for everyone.”
Trump affirmed in comments on Thursday that Ukraine would have a seat at the table during any talks to end the Russian invasion, apparently addressing Zelensky’s concerns.
“Of course, they would (have a seat at the negotiating table – ed.), I mean they’re part of it,” Trump said, according to the state outlet Ukrinform. He also explained why he chose to speak to Putin before he spoke to Zelensky.
“Somebody said, oh, I should’ve called Zelensky first. I don’t think so. I mean, we have to find out whether Russia wants to make a deal. I know that Zelensky wants to make a deal, because he told me that. But I now know that Russia wants to make a deal,” Trump asserted.
