As President Donald Trump pushes forward with efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, he is relying on the assistance of a trusted ally, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Crown Prince, a key figure in the Middle East, could play a pivotal role in facilitating a peace agreement, which would further strengthen his ties with the new U.S. administration.
Prince Mohammed, alongside his diplomatic team, is expected to actively contribute to the peace process, positioning Saudi Arabia as a significant global player.
Trump is eager to resolve the conflict swiftly, and Saudi Arabia is seen as his preferred partner in these diplomatic efforts. If successful, discussions this week between U.S. and Russian officials could pave the way for a potential summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, possibly set to take place in Saudi Arabia in the near future.
“I believe we will see results soon,” Trump commented on Sunday. “This should have been resolved years ago, even right after the war began. But now, we’re working to bring it to a close.”
While previous high-level U.S.-Russia meetings have typically occurred in European cities such as Vienna or Geneva, a summit in Saudi Arabia would be unprecedented. Several countries, including Serbia and Switzerland, had offered to host the talks.
However, the Russians expressed concerns about meetings in Europe, given the continent’s largely anti-Russian stance following the invasion of Ukraine.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia has adopted a neutral position, refraining from criticizing Russia or aligning with Western sanctions.
As a non-member of the International Criminal Court, the kingdom also provides a safe venue for Putin to attend talks without the risk of arrest, following an ICC warrant issued for him.
Trump’s relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been notably close. During his presidency, Trump and the prince developed strong ties, which were demonstrated when the Crown Prince was the first world leader to speak with Trump after his swearing-in. The two have remained in contact as they work on matters of global importance.
“Saudi Arabia and America can achieve great things together, not just for our nations but for the world,” Prince Mohammed said during a recent meeting with U.S. officials in Riyadh.
If the planned summit goes ahead, it would mark Trump’s second major visit to Saudi Arabia during his presidency, signaling a shift from the traditional first international visits to neighboring countries such as Mexico or Canada.
Crown Prince Mohammed has also maintained close relations with Putin, making him one of the few world leaders to do so since the invasion of Ukraine. Both leaders share authoritarian tendencies, and the Crown Prince has utilized his influence in efforts such as mediating prisoner swaps between the U.S. and Russia.
Trump’s possible summit with Putin in Saudi Arabia would be their sixth meeting, following a dramatic 2018 summit in Helsinki that stood out for Trump’s controversial siding with Putin over U.S. intelligence reports.
The ongoing cooperation between Trump, Prince Mohammed, and Putin highlights the shifting dynamics in international diplomacy as the global community looks for avenues to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.