**US and Russia to Meet in Saudi Arabia for Ukraine Peace Talks**
A team of American advisers is set to meet with Russian officials next week in Saudi Arabia. They will start talking about how to stop the war in Ukraine.
The group, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, will represent US President Donald Trump. This comes after Trump’s phone calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
**Trump Wants Peace**
President Trump said that the US is working hard to help achieve peace in Ukraine. He also confirmed that Zelensky will be part of the talks. European officials have been worried that Ukraine might not get a say, but Trump has assured them that this won’t happen.
Some people are concerned that Russia might just be trying to buy time while continuing its war efforts. Secretary Rubio said that Trump will decide if Russia is genuinely interested in peace or not.
**Talks Have Already Started**
The US and Russia have already started talking about a possible agreement. Secretary Rubio even spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the weekend.
However, some terms of an agreement are unclear. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that “everything is on the table”, but suggested it’s unlikely that Ukraine will join NATO. President Trump also implied that Russia won’t let Ukraine join NATO and that Crimea might not be returned to Ukraine.
**More Talks Ahead**
Further high-level talks are expected, with President Trump planning to meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia soon.