White House Envoy Heads to Saudi Arabia for Peace Talks

White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, along with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, announced plans to visit Saudi Arabia for negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war on Ukraine. The discussions, set to involve Russian and U.S. officials, have stirred frustration among Ukrainian leaders over exclusion.

White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Sunday his scheduled trip to Saudi Arabia, where he will engage in talks with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. The discussions aim to find solutions to end Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine. This marks the first official confirmation of the diplomatic meeting.

"I am going tonight," Witkoff disclosed in an interview with Fox News, noting the president's directive for these high-level discussions. The talks in Saudi Arabia represent one of the first direct engagements between Russian and U.S. officials in years, with potential to prelude a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Despite Ukrainian leaders expressing frustration over being excluded from certain negotiations, Witkoff emphasized inclusivity. He claimed Ukrainians recently met with top U.S. officials at the Munich Security Conference, although he didn't confirm their involvement in the upcoming Saudi meeting.

(With inputs from agencies.)