Despite expectations, Trump’s special envoy for the Ukraine-Russia negotiations, retired General Keith Kellogg, will not be attending, according to officials.
Officials further indicated that there are no arrangements for representatives from other significant European nations to join the discussions. This could frustrate NATO allies who have publicly called on President Donald Trump to include them in the negotiation process.
This meeting could represent a pivotal moment in Trump’s efforts towards initiating a peace process and would also be the first substantial meeting between Russian and Ukrainian representatives since the war commenced in 2022.
Texas Republican lawmaker Mike McCaul confirmed during an interview at the POLITICO Pub, held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, that Waltz and Witkoff would accompany Rubio to Saudi Arabia to initiate talks between the two conflicting parties.
Two U.S. officials, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiation details, verified the plans but did not provide further information regarding which Ukrainian or Russian negotiators would participate. Neither the Ukrainian government nor the State Department responded to requests for comments.
On Wednesday, Trump shared with reporters his anticipation of a face-to-face meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia. “We ultimately expect to meet,” he stated. “We’ll meet in Saudi Arabia, and hopefully, we can achieve something.”
