The New Dark Age

Saturday, 15 February 2024 — Ukraine Watch

🔘 Putin and Trump may meet in Saudi Arabia at the end of February, Bloomberg reports, citing sources

The publication states that senior officials from the US and Russia will meet next week in Saudi Arabia to lay the groundwork for a potential summit between the leaders at the end of the month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The details of the meeting and the list of participants are still being discussed, but according to informed sources, the groups are expected to be led by national security advisers.

Most Europeans have not yet been informed about the meeting, said another official source who requested anonymity. Ukrainian representatives are also expected to participate, but they are not fully aware of the preparations.

US President Donald Trump hinted on Thursday at an upcoming summit with Vladimir Putin in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and said that Ukrainians would be involved. They also exchanged invitations during a 90-minute phone call—the first contact between the leaders since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The White House National Security Council did not respond to a request for comment, nor did a Kremlin representative.

Saudi authorities have invited representatives from the US, Russia, and Ukraine to a gathering in Riyadh. People familiar with the situation, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the meeting, reported this. Saudi National Security Adviser Musaed Al-Aiban will lead the talks, with one source adding that plans could be disrupted due to last-minute changes.

Al-Aiban is an experienced specialist and close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He has represented him in negotiations with Iran and Washington on defense cooperation and the normalization of relations with Israel.

Negotiating Teams
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to lead the US negotiations in Saudi Arabia. This raises questions about the role of Special Representative Keith Kellogg.

Putin is assembling a team of heavyweights with decades of experience in high-level strategic negotiations. Among them is Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s chief foreign policy adviser with 50 years of diplomatic experience, and his top intelligence officer Sergei Naryshkin, who served with Putin in the Soviet KGB. Kirill Dmitriev, a financier with a Stanford and Harvard education and ties to the Russian president’s family, may play a key role as an unofficial intermediary in Trump’s negotiations.

The level of contact has significantly increased over the past week, especially after US Vice President J.D. Vance’s sharp speech at the Munich Security Conference, which shocked European participants with his critical analysis of their “fundamental values” and vulnerable democracies.

The publication notes that Saudi Arabia maintains close relations with the US, Russia, and Ukraine and is considered a neutral venue for potential peace talks.

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