The kingdom has increasingly emerged as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war, leveraging ties with both sides as well as with President Trump.

Word of President Donald Trump’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin came one day after Russia released a wrongfully detained American prisoner.

The Kremlin has confirmed that Saudi Arabia could be a possible location for a planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on Thursday that the heads of state had not yet made a firm decision,

Trump's call with Putin took place as members of his Cabinet, including Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, visited Europe on inaugural trips in their positions. Vance and Rubio will meet with Zelenskyy on Friday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the White House says.

Saudi Arabia hosting the Trump-Putin talks is no coincidence—it highlights Riyadh’s rising influence, strategic neutrality and role as a global mediator

President Trump says he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to start negotiating the end of the war in Ukraine and says the two could meet face-to-face soon in Saudi Arabia. CBS News correspondent Natalie Brand has more on that and a judge's allowance of the president's buyout offers for federal workers.

Asked whether Ukraine would be part of the negotiations, the president said on Thursday, “Of course they would.” A day earlier, he had suggested otherwise, and appeared ready to make concessions that Ukraine has flatly rejected.

Russia said on Thursday that Ukraine would "of course" be involved in talks to end the war, but there would be a separate U.S.-Russian strand to the negotiations.

Following a phone call between Trump and Putin on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia is eager to arrange a face-to-face meeting "as quickly as possible." He emphasized that the two leaders "have much to discuss" and that Moscow is already assembling a delegation to engage in broader negotiations with the U.