Why Saudi Arabia might host US-Russia summit

A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump could take place in Saudi Arabia, a country that is increasingly positioning itself as a centre of international diplomacy.

Saudi Arabia is the country that the new head of the White House has named as the venue for future talks after a phone call with the Russian leader.

Riyadh played a key role in the prisoner exchange between the US and Russia and previously hosted a summit on Ukraine. Thanks to its close ties with both sides and its ability to ensure the confidentiality of negotiations, Saudi Arabia is becoming a favorable destination for dialogue between world leaders, experts told the Russian newspaper Izvestia.

“The country has close political and economic ties and growing interests with Russia and the United States, as well as trust from global powers. In addition, Saudi Arabia has extensive experience in resolving historical conflicts,” Saudi political scientist Mubarak Al-Aati told Izvestia.

Trump had previously established close ties with Riyadh during his first term as president. Saudi Arabia was the first country he visited on a foreign trip and President Trump also approved major arms deals with the Kingdom.

"President Trump must demonstrate Washington's willingness to use Saudi Arabia as an important gateway for its interests, not only in the region but also beyond, thereby emphasizing Riyadh's global role. Such a step fits into the logic of deepening the strategic partnership between the US and Saudi Arabia," orientalist Leonid Tsukanov told Izvestia.

According to the expert, the choice of Saudi Arabia in the context of other Gulf countries is also due to the fact that this country has maintained neutrality for a long time and did not get involved in the conflict in Ukraine.

"The kingdom has maintained a positive neutrality in many disputes, especially between the two superpowers, Russia and the United States. The kingdom enjoys the trust of Ukraine and has good economic relations with them. Riyadh has provided humanitarian aid to Kiev in the amount of more than $400 million. All this has turned Saudi Arabia into a desirable venue for negotiations and a reliable mediator for all parties," said expert Mubarak Al-Aati.

“Although Saudi Arabia remains a regional ally of the United States, it tries to remain neutral on a number of issues, including the conflict in Ukraine. During the nearly three years of Russia's special military operation, the Kingdom has not made any critical statements to Moscow and has not participated in direct arms supplies to Kiev,” Tsukanov further explained.

According to Tsukanov, Riyadh is generally open to dialogue with both Moscow and Washington, which is reflected in the frequency of contacts between the governments. Of course, US policy is expected to prevail over Saudi Arabia's, but the Kingdom retains the ability to interact with Russia through humanitarian and commercial channels.

In addition, the US, Russia and Saudi Arabia are the three largest players in the oil market. A potential meeting between President Trump and Russian leader Putin in Riyadh could include not only political issues but also discussions on energy issues, in which Saudi Arabia plays a key role.