Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Washington on Wednesday ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned trip to the Kingdom next month.
Trump said last week that Saudi Arabia would be his first foreign destination, with a visit planned as early as next month. He also indicated that he may extend his trip to include other Gulf countries.
“I have a very good relationship with the Middle East,” Trump said, highlighting his ties with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “He’s great and wonderful,” he added, referring to MBS.
According to State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio thanked Saudi Arabia for its efforts to facilitate peace between Russia and Ukraine, as well as its cooperation on economic and defense issues.
The two officials also discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts in Gaza. Bruce said Rubio and Prince Faisal talked about the importance of achieving a “durable ceasefire in Gaza.”
On Sudan, they agreed on the urgent need for the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to return to peace talks, protect civilians, allow humanitarian access and move toward civilian rule. Both sides also reaffirmed the importance of the US-Saudi partnership and committed to exploring ways to further strengthen it.
