World
India
Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global diplomatic force by hosting high-level negotiations between American and Russian officials. The kingdom’s involvement extends beyond facilitating the meeting—it seeks to play an active mediation role. Led by the country’s national security adviser, the Saudi delegation aims to leverage this opportunity for future negotiations, particularly concerning postwar Gaza.
Strategic Victory for Crown Prince
The location of the talks, which Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described as “generally suitable” for both the US and Russia, is a strategic victory for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The 39-year-old de facto ruler is determined to transform Saudi Arabia from an oil-dependent nation with a strict Islamist past into a global power wielding soft influence through its immense wealth.
This move aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader policy shift toward neutrality in international conflicts. The strategy is designed to attract substantial foreign investment and support the kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan—Prince Mohammed’s ambitious initiative to diversify the economy away from oil reliance.
Saudi Arabia Has Strong Ties with Both Trump and Putin
As part of this recalibration, Saudi Arabia has scaled back its military involvement in Yemen, repaired strained ties with regional rival Iran, and maintained strong diplomatic and economic relations with China and Russia, all while preserving its historically close relationship with Western nations.
Beyond diplomacy, Saudi Arabia has actively sought to enhance its global standing through high-profile events, such as hosting major sporting competitions, electronic music festivals, and aid donor summits. In 2023, the kingdom held a two-day peace summit on Ukraine with representatives from over 40 countries—though notably without Russia. That same year, it pledged $400 million in aid to Ukraine.
Prince Mohammed’s growing influence in global diplomacy is closely tied to his relationships with key world leaders. His strong rapport with former US President Donald Trump played a crucial role in shielding him from global condemnation after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives. Trump chose Saudi Arabia for his first foreign presidential visit in 2017, breaking with long-standing diplomatic precedent. Even after leaving office, Trump’s business connections with the kingdom remained intact, including a $2 billion investment by Saudi Arabia in a private equity firm led by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Plans to develop Trump-branded properties in Saudi Arabia further cement these ties.
Diplomatic Balancing by Saudi Arabia
The crown prince has similarly maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who refused to isolate him following Khashoggi’s killing. In contrast to Western calls to sever relations with Moscow after the Ukraine invasion, Prince Mohammed continued working with Putin to regulate global oil markets. He notably rejected US President Joe Biden’s requests to boost oil production in 2022, siding with Russia instead. Putin’s 2023 visit to Saudi Arabia underscored their enduring relationship, as the Russian leader courted Riyadh to join the BRICS bloc, which aims to counterbalance US economic influence.
Analysts believe that Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic balancing act has yielded tangible benefits. For instance, Prince Mohammed was reportedly instrumental in securing the release of American teacher Mark Fogel from Russian custody, according to former US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. The kingdom, along with the United Arab Emirates, has also successfully mediated several prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.
On Monday, Witkoff joined US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for discussions with Prince Mohammed in Riyadh, just a day before scheduled talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov, and Russia’s sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev.
A Meeting Without Ukraine and Europe’s Response
One notable absence from Tuesday’s negotiations is Ukraine. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently in Abu Dhabi, he is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia later this week for separate discussions with Saudi officials.
Meanwhile, European leaders, who were excluded from these direct US-Russia talks, will convene in Paris to formulate a coordinated response. This exclusion signals Washington’s shifting priorities, raising concerns about Europe’s diminishing role in US foreign policy calculations.
Beyond the immediate diplomatic significance, Saudi Arabia could use its role in the US-Russia meeting to influence a pressing regional issue: the future of Gaza.
Earlier this month, Trump proposed a controversial plan to redevelop Gaza with luxury housing and permanently relocate its more than two million residents. Arab nations swiftly dismissed the idea, and Saudi Arabia is set to host a summit at the end of the week to discuss a counterproposal before presenting it to Trump.
Also Read: US-Russia Talks on Ukraine War to Begin in Saudi Arabia: Who Is Representing Each Country?
