WASHINGTON ( WNAM MONITORING ): The US and Saudi Arabia held talks in Washington on Wednesday focused on efforts to end the war in Gaza and addressed other regional crises as President Donald Trump prepares for a visit to the kingdom.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and facilitate the release of hostages amid Israel’s continued military assault on the enclave.
“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister discussed diplomatic efforts in Gaza to release hostages and work towards a durable ceasefire in Gaza, in which (the Palestinian group) Hamas is completely disarmed and disempowered,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
The meeting came amid growing international calls for a political resolution to the conflict in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 50,000 people since October 2023, and the wider Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
While the US continues to back Israel’s military campaign and seeks to broker a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, Riyadh has pushed for an immediate ceasefire and a pathway toward a two-state solution.
Last month, Trump said he may visit Saudi Arabia as early as April — a potential reprise of 2017, when the oil-rich kingdom was the first foreign destination of his presidency. Axios news reported that the visit will take place in mid-May.
The two top diplomats also discussed other regional issues, including the war in Sudan and attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group in the Red Sea.
“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also agreed that the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces must return to peace talks, protect civilians, open humanitarian corridors and return to civilian governance,” said the US readout.
Rubio also expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s efforts to facilitate peace between Russia and Ukraine, enhance economic and defense cooperation, counter the Houthi threat in the region and restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, according to the statement.
“Both sides also reaffirmed the importance of the US-Saudi relationship and committed to exploring ways to further strengthen the partnership,” it added.
According to a Saudi readout, the two sides reviewed the strategic relationship between their countries and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation across various fields. They also discussed ways to enhance coordination and bolster joint efforts on regional and international issues of mutual concern, particularly the situations in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen and the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
