Trump’s envoys head to Saudi Arabia for talks on Ukraine war

White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed on February 16 that he would travel to Saudi Arabia later in the day alongside National Security Advisor Mike Waltz for discussions aimed at ending Russia's war on Ukraine.

Speaking to Fox News, Witkoff said the talks were being held at the direction of U.S. President Donald Trump, Caliber.Az reports.

"I am going tonight," Witkoff said of the trip. "I'll be traveling there with the national security advisor, and we'll be having meetings at the direction of the president, and hopefully we'll make some really good progress." His remarks marked the first official confirmation of the long-rumoured U.S.-Russia meeting.

The Saudi talks will be among the first high-level in-person discussions between U.S. and Russian officials in years and are expected to lay the groundwork for a direct meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, the exclusion of Ukraine and European allies from the discussions has sparked frustration in Kyiv and beyond.

Ukrainian officials have made it clear that they were not invited to the talks and would not recognise any agreements made in their absence. European nations have also voiced concerns over being sidelined, particularly as the discussions could shape the trajectory of the nearly three-year-long conflict.

Amid speculation over the nature of the talks, a Ukrainian delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on February 16, reportedly preparing for a possible visit by Zelenskyy. Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who also serves as First Deputy Prime Minister, said the delegation was focused on strengthening economic ties and preparing to sign agreements with regional partners. She did not clarify whether there was a connection between Zelenskyy’s potential visit and the U.S.-Russia talks.

Senior Ukrainian officials, including presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, have denied Kyiv’s involvement in any direct talks with Russia, maintaining that there is no meaningful proposal currently on the table. “There is nothing on the negotiating table that would be worth discussing,” Podolyak told Ukrainian television on February 15.

Despite criticism, Witkoff pushed back against claims that Ukraine was being left out of negotiations. He cited recent meetings between U.S. and Ukrainian officials at the Munich Security Conference, though he did not clarify whether Kyiv would have a role in the Saudi discussions.

"I don't think this is about excluding anybody," Witkoff told Fox News. "In fact, it's about including everybody."

The upcoming talks signal a significant shift in U.S. diplomatic strategy under Trump, diverging from the Biden administration’s approach of coordinating closely with European allies and supporting Ukraine’s war efforts. Russian state media has already framed the negotiations as a diplomatic success, viewing them as an opportunity to reshape discussions on Ukraine.

By Vugar Khalilov