US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian officials, aiming to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The discussions follow recent efforts by President Donald Trump to initiate peace negotiations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday ahead of expected talks with Russian officials aimed at ending Moscow's nearly three-year war in Ukraine.
The talks come after President Donald Trump last week spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone and ordered top officials to begin negotiations on the war, which he repeatedly vowed to end during his presidential campaign.
Riyadh, which is also involved in talks with Washington over the future of the Gaza Strip, has played a role in early contacts between the Trump administration, which took office on January 20, and Moscow, helping to secure a prisoner swap last week.
US top diplomat Rubio, who spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday, will meet Russian officials in Saudi Arabia alongside Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, a US lawmaker and a source told Reuters. It was not immediately clear who they would meet from Russia.
Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that the talks would take place on Tuesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh, citing unnamed sources.
The talks will be among the first high-level in-person discussions in years between Russian and US officials and are meant to precede a meeting between the US and Russian presidents.
Rubio on Sunday said the coming weeks and days would determine whether Putin is serious about making peace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is also in the region. Zelenskiy, who arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, said he also intended to visit Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but no dates were set. He said he had no plans to meet Russian or US officials and Ukraine is not believed to be invited to the Saudi-hosted talks.
Senior officials from the United States and Georgia met in Tbilisi to review bilateral relations and regional security amid ongoing diplomatic discussions.
Iran has condemned the U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations as “meaningless” after Israel’s largest strike on Iranian targets, accusing Washington of backing the attack. The planned sixth round of talks faces uncertainty amid escalating tensions.
The Trump administration has deployed U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in response to growing protests over intensified immigration raids, sparking legal challenges and political divisions.
Los Angeles is experiencing widespread protests, a National Guard deployment, and increased public concern following recent immigration enforcement actions and confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement.
Southern California Edison’s upgraded wildfire models misjudged the Eaton Canyon fire’s scale by tenfold, raising concerns over its disaster preparedness as the blaze became one of the most destructive in U.S. history.
One of the region’s largest innovation events, “Baku ID-2025”, has officially kicked off in Baku. Organized by SABAH.HUB in partnership with government agencies and leading representatives of the private sector, this year’s festival is held under the theme “The Regional Nexus”.
President Donald Trump has said he will make a decision in the coming two weeks on whether the United States will strike Iran, citing a possibility of upcoming negotiations.
South Korea’s new administration proposed $14.7 billion in additional spending on Thursday to boost weak domestic demand, as President Lee Jae Myung pushes economic recovery as his top priority.
If the European Central Bank adjusts interest rates in the next six months, the move would likely be a cut, ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Thursday.
Iran's foreign minister is expected in Istanbul on Saturday for a key Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) council meeting as regional tensions rise over Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has cancelled certain flights scheduled for 13th and 14th June amid recent escalation of situation in the Middle East and the closure of airspace in several countries for security reasons.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
President Donald Trump has said he will make a decision in the coming two weeks on whether the United States will strike Iran, citing a possibility of upcoming negotiations.
Iran's foreign minister is expected in Istanbul on Saturday for a key Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) council meeting as regional tensions rise over Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar has temporarily barred its personnel from entering Al Udeid Air Base due to rising regional tensions linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
The World Bank has approved a $640 million loan to Bangladesh to help improve gas supply security and reduce dangerous air pollution in urban areas.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Ukraine “will have to understand and accept” the post-war realities, as Moscow signals openness to a third round of peace negotiations with Kyiv.
One of the region’s largest innovation events, “Baku ID-2025”, has officially kicked off in Baku. Organized by SABAH.HUB in partnership with government agencies and leading representatives of the private sector, this year’s festival is held under the theme “The Regional Nexus”.
President Donald Trump has said he will make a decision in the coming two weeks on whether the United States will strike Iran, citing a possibility of upcoming negotiations.
South Korea’s new administration proposed $14.7 billion in additional spending on Thursday to boost weak domestic demand, as President Lee Jae Myung pushes economic recovery as his top priority.
If the European Central Bank adjusts interest rates in the next six months, the move would likely be a cut, ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Thursday.
Iran's foreign minister is expected in Istanbul on Saturday for a key Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) council meeting as regional tensions rise over Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
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