Riyadh has hosted a new round of talks between the US and Ukraine. The talks were “productive and focused,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Sunday, according to a report in Arab News.
“We have concluded our meeting with the American team. The discussion was productive and focused — we addressed key points including energy,” he said. He also said the goal was a “just and lasting peace.”
Saudi Arabia first hosted talks between the US and Ukraine in the wake of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House on February 28.
When that meeting did not go as planned and appeared to lead to a potential crisis in US-Ukraine relations, Riyadh stepped in as a potential place for talks.
The AP noted on March 10 that “Saudi Arabia under its assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been positioning itself as an ideal location for possible peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow — and even the first face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.”
Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak speaks to Reuters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED BENMANSOUR)
Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak speaks to Reuters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED BENMANSOUR)
The first round of talks took place in Jeddah. This followed US-Russia talks that had taken place in Riyadh on February 18.
Saudi Arabia has said it hoped for “a lasting peace to end the Ukrainian crisis.” During the first round of talks, the Ukrainian delegation included Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak, as well as Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The new round of talks took place on Sunday, March 23. “The meeting, which preceded talks on Monday between the US and Russian delegations, came as US special envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism about the chances for ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two,” Arab News noted.
“I feel that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants peace,” Witkoff told Fox News. “I think that you’re going to see some real progress in Saudi Arabia on Monday, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries. And from that, you’ll naturally gravitate into a full-on shooting ceasefire.”
The reports at Arab News also say that a Russian delegation is arriving in Saudi Arabia on March 24. Moscow has said that “difficult negotiations” lie ahead. “We are only at the beginning of this path,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
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The Russians don’t seem ready for a ceasefire. Instead, Moscow is focusing on a potential Black Sea grain deal. However, Peskov said that the opportunity for “mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide variety of spheres between our countries cannot be overstated.”
Russia and Ukraine's growing reliance on drone warfare
The fighting continues in Ukraine as the talks continue. Reports said that Moscow had launched 147 drones at Ukraine in the last day and that Russia had also intercepted 60 Ukrainian drones.
Both countries now increasingly rely on drones, rather than manned aircraft, to do the fighting in the skies. Ukraine has accused Moscow of dragging out the talks. “No matter what we talk about with our partners, we need to push Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes: the one who brought this war must take it away,” Zelensky said, Arab News reported.
Saudi Arabia is continuing to position itself as a key player in the talks. This is a new and important role for Riyadh to play.
This will give the Kingdom more influence with the Trump administration. It could also affect Saudi Arabia’s role in the region and globally.
Riyadh may be more willing to take on difficult challenges in the region, such as doing more outreach to the new Syrian government regarding financial support for reconstruction. It could also lead to more Saudi engagement regarding plans for Gaza.