Who's at the table for US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia?

Three Americans and two Russians participated in talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the West's isolation of Moscow. The participants described the meeting as laying the foundation for future "high-level" discussions and emphasized their commitment to resetting diplomatic relations between their countries.

Who are these individuals, and what role might they play in the reconciliation between the two powers?

As U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio faced his seasoned Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. The two had already held a phone conversation three days prior.

Rubio has long advocated for an end to the war in Ukraine and voted against a $6 billion U.S. military aid package in 2024. He views China as America's primary adversary and believes Beijing benefits from the U.S. being "bogged down in Europe."

He cautioned that "one meeting is not going to solve [the war]," describing the Saudi talks as an initial step toward negotiations. He emphasized that both Ukraine and Europe must be involved in the process as well.

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz believes the U.S. should receive "some type of payback" for the billions spent supporting Ukraine over three years of full-scale war. He argues that Europeans need to "own this conflict" in terms of future security guarantees and suggests Ukraine should share its mineral wealth with the U.S. through partnerships on rare earths, natural resources, and oil and gas.

Steve Witkoff, a less familiar figure, played a notable role in the recent talks. Although this marked the first official U.S.-Russia talks in nearly two years, Witkoff was sent by former President Donald Trump to Moscow just a week earlier. While he is Trump's Middle East envoy, his significance goes beyond that—he is seen as a trusted dealmaker with the president’s favor.

Witkoff was involved in discussions on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and later went to Russia to facilitate the exchange of U.S. prisoner Marc Fogel for Russian national Alexander Vinnik, held in the U.S.

The recent U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia brought together three Americans and two Russians, signaling an effort to end the West’s isolation of Moscow. The participants included:

U.S. Team:

1. Marco Rubio – U.S. Secretary of State, advocating for an end to the war in Ukraine and focusing on China as the U.S.'s main adversary. Rubio sees the Saudi talks as a starting point for negotiations, emphasizing the involvement of both Ukraine and Europe.
2. Mike Waltz – U.S. National Security Adviser, who believes the U.S. should receive compensation for its financial support to Ukraine and argues that Europeans must take responsibility for future security guarantees. He also suggests Ukraine should share its natural resources with the U.S.
3. Steve Witkoff – U.S. Middle East envoy, who was previously sent by Donald Trump to Moscow. Witkoff has played a key role in various diplomatic efforts, including facilitating a U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange and being involved in ceasefire talks with Hamas.

Russian Team:

1. Sergei Lavrov – Russian Foreign Minister since 2004, a veteran diplomat instrumental in shaping Russia's foreign policy during the ongoing war. Lavrov has represented Russia on the global stage and participated in various ceasefire talks during the conflict with Ukraine.
2. Yuri Ushakov – Putin’s foreign policy adviser and former ambassador to the U.S., Ushakov has extensive experience dealing with Washington. He was a key figure in Russia's diplomatic efforts prior to and during the war, accusing the U.S. of overreacting to Russia's military actions before the invasion of Ukraine.

These figures were at the table to lay the groundwork for potential high-level discussions aimed at resetting U.S.-Russia relations after a period of heightened tensions.

At the recent US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, three Americans and two Russians participated in discussions aimed at resetting diplomatic relations.

The U.S. team:

1. Marco Rubio – U.S. Secretary of State, who has long advocated for ending the war in Ukraine and sees China as the primary U.S. adversary. Rubio described the Saudi talks as a first step toward negotiations, emphasizing the involvement of both Ukraine and Europe.
2. Mike Waltz – U.S. National Security Adviser, who believes the U.S. should receive "payback" for its financial support to Ukraine and argues that Europeans must take responsibility for future security guarantees. He also suggests Ukraine should share its resources with the U.S.
3. Steve Witkoff – U.S. Middle East envoy, seen as a key dealmaker for former President Donald Trump. He was involved in efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and in facilitating the exchange of U.S. prisoner Marc Fogel with Russia.

The Russian team:

1. Sergei Lavrov – Russian Foreign Minister since 2004, a seasoned diplomat who has played a central role in Russia's foreign policy throughout the war in Ukraine. Lavrov participated in several diplomatic efforts, including early ceasefire talks with Ukraine.
2. Yuri Ushakov – Putin’s foreign policy adviser and former Russian ambassador to the U.S. Ushakov has extensive experience engaging with Washington and has been a key figure in Russia’s diplomatic outreach.

Additionally, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's Direct Investment Fund, was also part of the Russian delegation but not present at the talks. Dmitriev, with his deep ties to Russia’s leadership and extensive experience in finance, particularly with U.S. business sectors, is seen as vital for discussions on future economic relations between the U.S. and Russia, particularly in areas like joint projects in the Arctic.

These talks, which marked a significant step in U.S.-Russia relations, were intended to lay the groundwork for future high-level negotiations between the two powers.

The two Saudi hosts, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Adviser Musaed al-Aiban, chaired the beginning of the meeting but did not remain in the room.

Prince Faisal has been an active figure in Saudi diplomacy this year, visiting Lebanon and Europe, and hosting an international meeting aimed at lifting sanctions on Syria.

Similarly, al-Aiban has been instrumental in strengthening Saudi relations with Syria, particularly with Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

While Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman takes the lead on foreign policy, both Prince Faisal and al-Aiban frequently accompany him in diplomatic efforts.