DOHA, August 18. /TASS/. Given its balanced relations with Russia, the United States and Ukraine, Saudi Arabia could be an ideal venue for continued negotiations on Ukraine following the Alaska talks, founder and chairman of the Gulf Research Center Dr. Abdulaziz Sager said.
"The probability of holding future meetings looks very high. Saudi Arabia has already proven its ability to bring opponents together at the same table, relying on a policy of neutrality, balanced relations with Moscow, Washington and Kiev, as well as diplomatic experience and access to the sidelines. The success in organizing preparatory meetings in Riyadh makes it a natural candidate for holding the next, more substantive rounds, which will be a continuation of the Alaska summit," Sager told TASS in an interview.
He said that the negotiations between the Russian and US delegations held in the kingdom a few months ago "contributed to the formation of a favorable atmosphere and institutional framework for the summit" in Anchorage.
"The Alaska summit may not have marked the end of the war, but it laid the foundation for a new [diplomatic] process in which the Gulf states, primarily Riyadh, can play a key role as a platform for future negotiations on Ukraine, which in the future can lead to a comprehensive and sustainable settlement," Sager said.
Riyadh mediation
Saudi officials have said that Riyadh is ready to act as an intermediary between Russia and Ukraine, and to support any efforts aimed at achieving a political settlement of the conflict. In 2023, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud visited Moscow after a visit to Ukraine and held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The Saudi minister said that the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2022 took place with the personal participation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
In 2025, the delegations of Russia and the United States held talks in the Saudi capital to discuss normalization of bilateral relations and the Ukrainian settlement.
On March 11, the US and Ukrainian delegations held consultations in the Saudi city of Jeddah with the main topics being a 30-day ceasefire and the signing of a minerals deal.
On March 24, representatives of Russia and the United States met in Riyadh to resume the Black Sea grain initiative.
On the eve of the talks, representatives of the United States and Ukraine met in the Saudi capital to discuss possible cessation of strikes on energy facilities, and navigation safety in the Black Sea.