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Saudi Arabia to host US-Russia talks on Ukraine, as UK says it’s ‘ready and willing’ to put troops on ground

The US Embassy with a US national flag is seen behind a building with a Russian national flag in Moscow on November 5, 2024. Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

The US Embassy with a US national flag is seen behind a building with a Russian national flag in Moscow on November 5, 2024. Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

CNN — Talks between the United States and Russia over the war in Ukraine are set to begin Tuesday, multiple sources have told CNN.
 
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz are all traveling to Saudi Arabia for the talks.

A Saudi official told CNN they would be doing more than just hosting and would be involved in a mediation role. The Saudi team will be led by the country’s national security adviser.

A Ukrainian official said they would not be present at the talks though Keith Kellogg, the Trump administration’s Russia-Ukraine envoy, discussed a “dual track” set of negotiations and will be in Kyiv this week. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said the Ukrainians would be part of the negotiations.

News of the US-Russia talks came as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday he was “ready and willing” to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to enforce a peace deal if necessary.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Starmer said he does not take the possibility lightly but reasoned that helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security would also strengthen the security of the United Kingdom and Europe.

He called on European nations to increase their defense spending and “take on a greater role in NATO,” but said US support would remain critical for guaranteeing peace. The prime minister also said he would meet with Trump and other G7 allies in the coming days to secure a strong deal.

Starmer is among the European leaders who will take part in an emergency summit on Ukraine on Monday amid growing concern that the Trump administration’s push to work with Russia to end the war has left them isolated.

The Elysée Palace said French President Emmanuel Macron would hold an “informal” meeting Monday with “the heads of government of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the Secretary General of NATO.”

Starmer on Saturday called the European meeting a “once in a generation” moment for national security and said the UK would “work to ensure we keep the US and Europe together,” according to a Downing Street statement. “We cannot allow any divisions in the alliance to distract from the external enemies we face,” he said.

Trump has talked openly about the Saudis playing a key role in the negotiations and the country has been an important part of US foreign policy under his presidency.

It was just a week ago that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman helped facilitatethe release of Marc Fogel in Russia.

Trump’s first foreign trip in 2017 was to Saudi Arabia.

CNN’s Jeff Zeleny contributed to this report.

Author: Alex Marquardt, Kevin Liptak, Alayna Treene and Michael Rios, CNN

Source: CNN:::

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