Chicago – February 14, 2025
Saudi Arabia has become a key player in efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, mainly due to its influence from vast oil reserves.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump proposed Saudi Arabia as the location for talks between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin. While it may seem like an unusual choice, Saudi Arabia has its reasons for getting involved in the conflict, even though it’s far from the frontlines.
For Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, helping mediate peace talks would strengthen his position as a global leader and give him an advantage over Qatar, which has been active in Middle East peace negotiations. Trump highlighted the close relationship between the U.S., Putin, and the Saudis, saying, “We know the crown prince, and I think it’d be a very good place to be.”
Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has also been involved in U.S. efforts with Eastern Europe.
While the Trump administration enjoys closer ties with Saudi Arabia than the Biden administration, tensions could rise over Trump’s controversial plans regarding Palestinian territories in Gaza.
In May 2023, Crown Prince bin Salman invited Zelenskyy to address an Arab leaders’ meeting in Jeddah. Later that year, they held private talks with diplomats from 40 countries to find a way to end the war, although Russia was not involved in the discussions.
In August, President Putin thanked Saudi Arabia for helping negotiate the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War, resulting in the release of 26 people.
