Trump meeting with Mohammed at the White House recently. — Others
US President Donald Trump’s preference for Saudi Arabia over traditional European venues like Geneva, Oslo, Paris, and London for the Ukraine peace talks serves both symbolic and strategic purposes.
It signals a shift away from Europe’s centrality in diplomacy and fits well with Trump’s broader policy of bilateral, pragmatic diplomacy that prioritises economic and geopolitical gains.
The US-Russia discussions in Saudi Arabia also indicate Trump’s strategic use of Saudi Arabia to secure swift diplo-matic wins, furthering his domestic and international standing. Trump’s choice of Riyadh for the Ukraine peace talks also shows that Saudi Arabia has strategically positioned itself as a neutral intermediary, leveraging its strong relations with global powers, including the US, Russia, China, and European nations.
However, this was not the first time Saudi Arabia played such a role. The Jeddah peace summit in August 2023 for one demon-strated its ambition to actively mediate rather than merely host.
Attended by representatives from over 40 countries, the summit aimed to reinforce Ukraine’s territorial integrity and secure broader inter-national support for Kyiv’s peace conditions, despite not yielding immediate tangible outcomes.
Riyadh’s successful facilitation of critical prisoner exchanges between Russia, Ukraine, and the US further illustrates its growing diplomatic capacity and influence.
Historically, Saudi Arabia has acted as a diplomatic mediator in significant regional conflicts. It played a crucial role in the Taif Agreement (1989), which helped end Lebanon’s civil war, and has actively mediated disputes within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the broader Middle Eastern region. These past experiences add to its credibility as a peace mediator.
For a brief period, the US- Saudi partnership weakened as US reliance on Saudi oil declined and Riyadh questioned American security commit-ments.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), Saudi Arabia maintained ties with the US while deepening relations with China and Russia, notably ignoring US requests to boost oil production following the Ukraine invasion and collaborating with Moscow through Opec+.
The 2023-2024 Israel-Hamas war complicated Saudi-Israeli normalisation efforts, though Riyadh remained open to the deal. Saudi Arabia also positioned itself as a neutral mediator in Ukraine while strengthening economic and technological ties with China.
Meanwhile, Washington sought to curb Saudi-China cooperation by offering enhanced security guarantees, including nuclear energy and defence commitments. However, Riyadh continued to hedge, maintaining US security ties while expanding its global influence.
This delicate balance has persisted amid shifting geopolitical interests.
President Trump’s decision to engage with Riyadh aligns with his pragmatic, results-driven, diplomatic approach. His affinity for Saudi Arabia dates back to his first presidency when his inaugural foreign visit was to Riyadh, marking a reset in US-Saudi relations after the strained Obama-era ties.
Trump’s personal and busi-ness connections with Saudi Arabia – bolstered by substantial Saudi investments in his enter-prises, including a reported US$600bil (RM2.648 trillion) pledge – further cemented Riyadh as his preferred diplomatic hub.
Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a diplomatic neutral ground has significantly advanced its geopolitical standing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin explicitly recognised Riyadh as a good partner, and a comfortable and credible mediator, citing strong relationships with Saudi Arabia.
The European Union, traditionally central in diplomatic negotiations, is experiencing reduced influence in global matters, reflecting broader scepticism about Europe’s geopolitical relevance.
China’s active participation in Saudi-hosted negotiations also demonstrates Riyadh’s adept balancing act among global powers, challenging Moscow’s narrative of a cohesive Sino-Russian alliance.
For the US, Saudi Arabia remains strategically critical despite some frictions over human rights and oil policies. Trump’s return to office has evidently revitalised US-Saudi relations, aligning mutual interests in energy security, regional stability, and coun-tering shared threats such as Iran.
The role of MBS has been significant in advancing Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic image. His personal and business networks have cultivated close relation-ships with key leaders like Trump and Putin, placing Riyadh at the centre of major global dialogues, expressively enhancing its international prestige and soft power.
MBS’s extensive economic engagements – including substantial investments in the US, partnerships with China on infrastructure and technology, and close coordination with Russia on oil production – bolster Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic relevance, aligning with his “Vision 2030” plan to diversify the economy beyond oil.
Other GCC countries, such as the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait actively support Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic initiatives. This collective endorsement bolsters Saudi Arabia’s credibility and regional leadership.
Observers often feel that Saudi Arabia has been expanding its diplomatic reach beyond the US, strengthening ties with China, Russia, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation while positioning itself as a regional mediator.
With Trump’s return to power, Saudi Arabia finds new opportunities to recalibrate ties with the US, but its broader strategy remains focused on strategic hedging and asserting leadership in the Global South.
By fostering a non-partisan approach, and balancing relations with major powers, Riyadh seeks greater autonomy while maintaining its ambitions as a key global mediator. – 360info
KM Seethi is director at the Inter University Centre for Social Science Research and Extension of Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala, India.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.
