This Friday, Saudi Arabia announced its readiness to host a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to help resolve the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The Kingdom expressed its commitment to supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war, which began in February 2022 when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. This announcement followed a phone conversation between Trump and Putin, which took place on February 12, 2025. Saudi Arabia praised the call, seeing it as an important step in finding a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
According to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom welcomed the recent exchange between the two leaders. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciates the telephone call that took place between His Excellency President Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, and His Excellency President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, on 12 February 2025,” the statement read. The call is seen as a sign of progress toward achieving peace in the region, with both leaders agreeing to work together to address the situation.
Since the war began, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) has been offering Saudi Arabia’s assistance in facilitating peace talks. The conflict started as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which coincided with growing US efforts to provide military support to Ukraine and its ambitions to join NATO. These developments contributed to tensions between Russia and the West, leading to the war. Throughout the conflict, Saudi Arabia has sought to play a neutral but active role in encouraging dialogue between the parties involved.
“The Kingdom reaffirms its ongoing commitment to achieving long-term peace between Russia and Ukraine,” the statement added, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s continued diplomatic initiatives over the past three years. Despite the challenges, the Kingdom has worked tirelessly to create opportunities for dialogue, reflecting its long-standing commitment to peace and stability in the region.
Trump determined to end the war in Ukraine
After the call on Wednesday, President Trump announced that negotiations aimed at ending the Ukraine war would begin “immediately.” He described the phone call as “lengthy and highly productive,” suggesting that both leaders were serious about pursuing a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Trump’s statement highlighted that the discussions had covered a wide range of topics, including Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, and the global economic influence of the dollar. This broad agenda reflects the complexity of the situation and the need for cooperation on multiple fronts.
Putin’s last conversation with a US president was three years ago, when he spoke with Joe Biden just days before launching the invasion of Ukraine. In the months following that call, US efforts to mediate peace were blocked, leading to the continuation of the war. Since then, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from both Ukraine and Russia. The escalation of the war has caused immense suffering and destruction, making any potential peace talks all the more urgent.
In his summary of the phone call with Putin, Trump said, “We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the power of the dollar, and various other subjects.” The statement emphasized that both leaders had agreed to strengthen cooperation and work closely together. They also agreed that their respective teams would start negotiations immediately, with the next step being a phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to inform him of the conversation. Trump added, “I will be calling President Zelensky of Ukraine right now to update him on our discussion.”
With Saudi Arabia’s offer to host the summit and the commitment of both Trump and Putin to pursue peace talks, there is hope that this new diplomatic initiative may bring the long-standing war to a peaceful end.
