Why Riyadh is building bridges between the US and Russia
The initial contacts with the new US administration inspired certain hope, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of the Russian Federal Security Service board on Feb. 27. He emphasized that 'Russia and the US are ready to resume cooperation,' adding that 'the current US partners demonstrate pragmatism and a realistic view of things, moving beyond stereotypes.'
Putin's positive stance would not have occurred without a meeting held between the Russian and US delegations earlier the same month in Riyadh.
The meeting was overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who entrusted the task to two key figures in the Saudi government: Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Adviser Minister Musaed Al-Aiban. Both officials have extensive diplomatic experience and a significant ability to build bridges between different parties — important skills that led to Putin and US leader Donald Trump praising the initial results of the dialogue in the Saudi capital.
Despite the strong strategic relations between Saudi Arabia and the US, Riyadh has adopted a flexible diplomacy in recent years, during which it diversified its foreign choices. For instance, it built partnerships with influential countries, such as China, Russia, and India; strengthened its relations with the EU; and became more open to regional neighbors, specifically Iran, restoring diplomatic relations with the latter following the agreement in Beijing in March 2023.
Saudi Arabia recognizes the importance of the US as a significant economic, political, technological, and military force. There are also mutual commercial interests, and diplomatic relations spanning nearly a century. Moreover, Washington considers Riyadh a fundamental partner in combating terrorism and, therefore, both countries have been keen to strengthen relations and manage any differing views without clashing or causing rupture. This was especially true during the tenures of Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, when points of disagreement emerged between both countries, whether regarding the Iranian nuclear agreement, the Yemen war, or the Israeli aggression against Gaza, as well as other energy and human rights issues.
The Kingdom worked to address this policy divergence calmly, communicating with different institutions in the US. Riyadh also strengthened its relations with Beijing and Moscow, increasing volumes of trade. Furthermore, there was a clear Saudi-Russian coordination at OPEC+ to maintain energy prices at reasonable levels, benefiting both producing and consuming countries.
This political and economic balance — coupled with patience and Riyadh's efforts to develop state institutions, diversify its economy and modernize society, along with its active diplomacy in reducing tensions with Iran and the Houthis in Yemen, supporting the central state in Iraq, dealing realistically with the new government in the Syrian Arab Republic, and playing active roles during the Israeli war against Gaza and Lebanon — has elevated its international position and reputation as a central state capable of promoting peace and reducing conflicts.
The Kingdom has emerged as a major player in restoring relations between the US and Russia, earning the respect and trust of both sides.
Hassan Al-Mustafa
Additionally, Saudi Arabia worked on condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, launching a relief air bridge to the Ukrainian people. It also received President Volodymyr Zelensky, held a peace conference aiming to stop the war, and brokered the release of a group of prisoners in both countries, without adopting a hostile stance toward Moscow or siding with NATO's escalatory policies against Russia. This earned Saudi Arabia special respect from Putin.
At the American level, the Saudi government worked to smooth things over with the administration of former President Biden, who visited Riyadh and was received by King Salman and the crown prince. At the same time, Riyadh avoided cutting ties with Trump after he left the White House. Instead, both sides maintained relations of mutual respect. As a result, when Trump returned to the presidency, Riyadh was among the first to congratulate him, prompting the new president to choose Saudi Arabia as a friendly and trusted country in which to hold the first meetings between the US and Russian delegations.
During the opening session of the Saudi Future Investment Initiative in its third edition in Miami, Trump said: 'Saudi Arabia is a great country with great leadership.' He thanked the Kingdom for hosting talks between Russian and US officials, adding that 'Riyadh did a great job by hosting these talks.'
For his part, Putin called the crown prince and thanked Saudi Arabia 'for hosting the fruitful talks between Moscow and Washington.' The crown prince affirmed his country's commitment to 'exerting all possible efforts to enhance global security and peace, believing that dialogue is the only way to resolve all international crises.'
In this context, the official visit of Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to the US can be highlighted, as he met with his US counterpart Peter Hegseth and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to discuss 'regional and international developments, and the efforts exerted to achieve security and stability.' According to the US Department of State, both sides explored 'ways to strengthen peace in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.'
Prince Khalid wrote on X: 'Pleased to meet my friend (US National Security Adviser) Michael Waltz. We reviewed the Saudi-US strategic relationship and explored opportunities to strengthen our bilateral cooperation.'
All these cumulative diplomatic efforts over the years have qualified Saudi Arabia to be a major player in restoring relationships between the US and Russia, earning the respect and trust of both sides. Through this mission, Riyadh is seeking an end to the war in Ukraine, to strengthen mutual understanding and solve the crises in the Middle East, and to encourage Russia and the US to actively participate in the process of achieving permanent and comprehensive peace in the region.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Trump says US will send Ukraine Patriot air defense systems as Russian attacks continue
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, saying they are necessary to defend the country because Russian President Vladimir Putin 'talks nice but then he bombs everybody in the evening.' Trump did not give a number of Patriots he plans to send to Ukraine, but he said the United States would be reimbursed for their cost by the European Union. The US president has grown increasingly disenchanted with Putin because the Russian leader has resisted Trump's attempts to negotiate a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked for more defensive capabilities to fend off a daily barrage of missile and drone attacks from Russia. 'We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need, because Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there's a little bit of a problem there. I don't like it,' Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington. 'We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment. They are going to pay us 100 percent for that, and that's the way we want it,' Trump said. Trump is set to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this week to discuss his plan to sell NATO allies US weaponry that they can then pass on to Ukraine. Rutte will be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and plans to hold talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as members of Congress. 'I'm gonna have a meeting with the secretary general who's coming in tomorrow,' Trump told reporters as he arrived in Washington on Sunday night. 'But we basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated (weapons) and they're gonna pay us 100 percent for them.' 'Inflection point' A top ally of Trump, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said Sunday that the conflict is nearing an inflection point as Trump shows growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back Russia. It's a cause that Trump, who during his campaign made quickly ending the war a top priority, had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. 'In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves,' Graham said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.' He added: 'One of the biggest miscalculations (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made is to play Trump. And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table.' The Rutte visit comes after Trump last week teased that he would make a 'major statement' on Russia on Monday and as Ukraine struggles to repel massive and complex air assaults launched by Russian forces. Trump on Sunday declined to offer further details on his coming announcement. 'We're going to see what we will see tomorrow,' he said. 'It's time to do it' Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who also appeared on CBS, said there is also growing consensus on Capitol Hill and among European officials about tapping some of the $300 billion in Russian assets frozen by Group of Seven countries early in the war to help Ukraine. 'It's time to do it,' Blumenthal said. Rubio said Friday that some of the US-made weapons that Ukraine is seeking are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. Those weapons could be more quickly transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the US, he said. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche, said European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolster air defense capabilities with any coming packages. He added that France is in a 'capacity hole' and will have to wait until next year before being able to provide Ukraine new ground-air missiles. Hitting Russia's enablers Trump is also facing calls from Republicans and Democrats as well as European allies to support legislation in the Senate that aims to cripple Russia's oil industry and hit Moscow with US sanctions for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The legislation, in part, calls for a 500 percent tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. It would have an enormous impact on the economies of Brazil, China and India, which account for the vast majority of Russia's energy trade. 'The big offender here is China, India and Brazil,' Graham said. 'My goal is to end this war. And the only way you are going to end this war is to get people who prop up Putin — make them choose between the American economy and helping Putin.' That revenue is critical in helping keep the Russian war machine humming as the US and Europe have imposed significant import and export bans on a wide range of goods to and from Russia, affecting sectors like finance, energy, transport, technology and defense. Trump for months had threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia's oil industry. Congress has been prepared to act on the legislation, sponsored by Graham and Blumenthal, for some time. The bill has overwhelming support in the Senate, but Republican leadership has been waiting for Trump to give the green light before moving ahead with it. The White House had expressed some reservations about the legislation. Trump made clear he wants full authority over the waiver process to lift the sanctions, tariffs or other penalties, without having to cede control to Congress. Under the initial bill, the president 'may terminate' the penalties under certain circumstances, but immediately reimpose them if the violations resume. Graham has said the president would be allowed to waive the sanctions, for 180 days, and could also renew a waiver. Some Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns about the waivers. But Blumenthal downplayed the differences and said the legislation would give Trump a 'sledgehammer' to utilize on Putin. 'The waiver language we will have in this bill is very much like the provisions have existed in past similar measures,' Blumenthal said. He added, 'What I think is most important right now is our unity.'
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
US senators aim to arm Trump with ‘sledgehammer' sanctions against Russia
WASHINGTON: US senators on Sunday touted a bipartisan bill that would arm President Donald Trump with 'sledgehammer' sanctions to use against Russia, ahead of a visit by the US special envoy to Ukraine. Trump has indicated he would be open to the sanctions bill as relations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin grow increasingly frosty. US special envoy Keith Kellogg is due to begin his latest visit to Ukraine while Trump said he would make a 'major statement... on Russia' on Monday. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he had majority backing in the Senate for his bill, which was gaining momentum as Washington-led peace efforts in Ukraine have struggled to make headway. The bill would allow Trump 'to go after Putin's economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine,' Graham told broadcaster CBS news. Trump, who has repeatedly said he is 'disappointed' with Putin as Moscow unleashed deadly barrages of missiles against Kyiv, has hinted he might finally be ready to toughen sanctions. Trump held off for the past six months while he tried to persuade Putin to end the war. But the Republican president's patience appears to be wearing thin, telling reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House Tuesday that Putin was talking 'a lot of bullshit' on Ukraine. Last week, Trump also agreed to send Zelensky more weapons, including through a deal with NATO which would involve the alliance purchasing US weapons to send to Ukraine. On Thursday, Trump appeared to back the bill without detailing whether he would use it to slap sanctions on Moscow. 'They're going to pass a very major and very biting sanctions bill, but it's up to the president as to whether or not he wants to exercise it,' Trump told broadcaster NBC. Asked during a cabinet meeting about his interest in the bill, Trump said: 'I'm looking at it very strongly.' 'This congressional package that we're looking at would give President Trump the ability to impose 500 percent tariffs on any country that helps Russia,' said Graham, adding that those could include economies that purchase Russian goods like China, India or Brazil. 'This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war,' said Graham. 'Without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty,' the Ukrainian leader said about the proposed bill in an X post. Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal were to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday night. Blumenthal told CBS news they would also discuss the legally thorny issue of unlocking frozen Russian assets in Europe and the United States for access by Ukraine. 'The $5 billion that the United States has also could be accessed, and I think it's time to do it,' said Blumenthal.
Saudi Gazette
7 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
French president announces €6.5 billion boost in military spending
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday unveiled an additional €6.5 billion ($7.6 billion) in military spending over the next two years, citing unprecedented threats ranging from Russia's aggression to nuclear proliferation, cyberattacks, and terrorism. In a wide-ranging speech on the eve of Bastille Day, Macron called for intensified efforts to protect Europe and reaffirmed France's long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine. He said France's annual defense budget will reach €64 billion ($74.8 billion) by 2027, double what it was when he took office in 2017. 'Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened and never so seriously,' Macron said, warning of a resurgence in nuclear threats and large-scale conflicts. 'To be free in this world, we must be feared. To be feared, we must be powerful,' he declared. Macron argued that France can afford the increase despite efforts to reduce its national debt. While conservative and far-right parties back the move, left-wing parties have criticized the shift, accusing the government of sacrificing social spending in favor of military buildup. The president also ordered defense officials to initiate a 'strategic dialogue' with European allies about the role of France's nuclear arsenal in Europe's security. In a rare move, France and the UK recently agreed to collaborate on nuclear defense. Macron's remarks come ahead of a key announcement expected Monday from U.S. President Donald Trump concerning Russia, and just before NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg travels to Washington for high-level talks. Trump last week said NATO allies could buy U.S. weapons and deliver them to Ukraine, which continues to struggle against complex Russian air and drone attacks. Macron, who recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in three years, remains a target of criticism in Moscow for his pro-Ukraine stance. The Kremlin maintains that the conflict is a result of Western disregard for Russia's security interests. French military chief Gen. Thierry Burkhard detailed broader threats from Moscow, including satellite disruption, sabotage of undersea infrastructure, and disinformation campaigns targeting French and African audiences. He also said Russian submarines and aircraft are operating aggressively in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Syria. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, called for greater investment in defense technology and training. He warned that countries are developing quantum computing capabilities that could soon transform the battlefield. 'Do we want to stay in the game?' Lecornu asked. — Agencies
