The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s leadership for hosting a high-level meeting between Russia and the US in Riyadh, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
On Wednesday, Putin thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, for hosting the US-Russia talks in Riyadh.
Saudi-hosted Talks
Speaking to reporters, the Russian President said: “I would like to thank Saudi Arabia’s leadership, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, not only for hosting this high-level meeting between Russia and the US, but also for creating a very friendly atmosphere.”
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia hosted high-level US-Russia talks, upon the directives of the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to promote international peace and security, according to a statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
The meeting aimed to pave the way for a summit between the US President, Donald Trump, and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to restore US-Russia ties and put an end to the war in Ukraine.
Positive Outcomes
Putin also noted that he appreciated the outcome of the talks in Riyadh. “I’ve been briefed on the talks. I appreciate them. There is a result,” he said as quoted by the Russian news agency TASS.
The Russian President also said he is happy about meeting Trump. “I will be happy to meet with Donald. We haven’t seen each other for a very long time,” he said.
“We need to make sure that our teams prepare issues that are extremely important for both the US and Russia, including on the Ukrainian track, in order to reach solutions that are acceptable to both sides,” Putin added.
US Appreciation
On the other hand, the US State Department thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting these landmark talks, calling them “an important step forward” to establish enduring peace.
The US State Secretary, Marco Rubio, also thanked the Saudi Crown Prince for hosting the talks. He said that the meeting with Russian officials in Riyadh was the “first step of a long and difficult journey, with the goal of a fair and enduring end to the war in Ukraine.”
Rubio added that the European Union (EU) would get involved at some point and that no one was being sidelined.
