Media: Trump's envoy meets Saudi Crown Prince amid Middle East tensions

On December 11, President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, marking the first engagement between Salman and a member of the incoming Trump administration since the elections.

Discussions focus on Trump's goals to revive US-Saudi ties and pursue a peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, amid heightened tensions following the October 7 Hamas attacks and the ongoing Gaza conflict, Caliber.Az reports via Axios.

Witkoff’s visit is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to foster a wider peace framework in the Middle East, which could also address the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Speaking to Time magazine, Trump stated:

"I want a peace where we don’t have an October 7 in another three years. I'd like to see everybody be happy," expressing cautious optimism about the peace process.

Sources close to the meeting revealed that key topics included the US-Saudi partnership, the Gaza war, and paths toward normalizing relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia has reiterated that any deal with Israel must include progress towards a Palestinian state, a condition Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to accept.

Earlier this week, Witkoff also attended a cryptocurrency conference in the UAE, where he met with Emirati officials to discuss regional issues, including Gaza and Syria. The diplomatic push comes amid continued instability in the region, with efforts to broker a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia stalled due to the ongoing violence.

Despite setbacks, there is cautious optimism among Israeli officials that Saudi Arabia may soften its stance, particularly in light of recent Israeli military successes against Iranian proxies. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, stated, “This is key for facilitating a peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.”

As the administration moves forward with its Middle East strategy, Trump’s team remains focused on achieving a transformative peace deal that could reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape.

By Aghakazim Guliyev