US former diplomat and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute, Dennis Ross, said the upcoming American-Russian summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh reflects the keenness of the parties involved in negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine.
The summit is a remarkable development given that no negotiations have been held over the war since 2022, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
He highlighted the participation of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, at the summit, saying it demonstrates the trust he enjoys with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Riyadh has maintained good relations with all parties involved in the conflict, which makes it a natural location to host the summit, he went on to say.
Saudi Arabia had welcomed on Friday the hosting of the summit between Trump and Putin in the Kingdom.
Senior American and Russian officials are also expected in Riyadh this week to hold talks aimed at ending the Ukraine war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Riyadh on Monday as part of a regional tour that he kicked off in Israel on Sunday. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and national security adviser Mike Waltz were due to arrive in Riyadh this week as well.
Ross said American, Russian and Ukrainian officials will discuss in Riyadh a roadmap of issues on the table. It is important to begin with confidence-building measures, such as a prisoner exchange, which is something Riyadh had previously mediated.
Trump had previously said that Crown Prince Mohammed will play a role in the Riyadh discussions.
Witkoff recently confirmed that the Crown Prince had played an effective role in securing the release of American Marc Fogel from Russia.
Ross said that Crown Prince Mohammed’s participation in the Riyadh talks demonstrates the trust he enjoys with Trump and Putin. He added that it would have been best if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy would be involved because the war is ultimately not between the US and Russia.
He acknowledged that the divide between Russia and Ukraine remains deep and it would be difficult to bridge if both parties remained unyielding in their positions.
Among the challenges are Putin’s insistence on not recognizing Ukraine’s sovereignty and maintaining military presence there. Ukraine is also refusing to acknowledge the regional changes.
Ross, however, underscored the need for a ceasefire, which should be part of a broader effort to end the war.
Commenting on European concerns over a possible American-Russian deal without consulting them, Ross said no decision should be taken without them.
Saudi Arabia, as the host country, must keep the Europeans informed on proceedings, he added.
On the summit’s impact on the Middle East, Ross said Putin may offer to help in regional files, such as Gaza, Syria, Iran and others, but such offers will not be a “good trade” and caution would be necessary towards them.
He explained that Putin has limited influence in Gaza and Syria, but he may hold sway in Iran given the mutual needs between Moscow and Tehran.
Iran wants to avoid being isolated, while Putin needs to realize that if it continues to enrich uranium to near weapons-grade, then the risk of it being attacked will rise, which is something the Russian president wants to avoid, Ross said.
