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  • Zelensky to visit Saudi Arabia amid US-Russia talks in Riyadh

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, February 19, for an official visit, his spokesperson Sergiy Nykyforov confirmed to AFP on Monday. Nykyforov described the trip as a "long-planned" engagement, which Zelensky himself previewed last week without specifying exact dates. The Ukrainian president made it clear that he will not be meeting with any Russian or US officials who are scheduled to hold separate discussions in the kingdom on Tuesday, February 18.

  • Rubio discusses Gaza deal with Saudi crown prince

    Rubio, who arrived from Israel accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, met the de facto ruler ahead of talks expected on Tuesday with a Russian delegation in the Saudi capital. But the 500-day-old Israel-Hamas war dominated discussions, according to a State Department statement. Rubio and the crown prince "reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring that Hamas releases all hostages, including American citizens", the statement said. "The secretary underscored the importance of an arrangement for Gaza that contributes to regional security," it added. The two "discussed ways to advance shared interests in Syria, Lebanon, and across the region, to include Red Sea security and freedom of navigation", said the statement, which made no reference to President Donald Trump's widely criticised plan for the United States to take over the Gaza Strip and move away the Palestinian population.

  • Why Is Saudi Arabia Hosting U.S.-Russia Talks? And Why Now?

    Experts see the talks as a sign that Saudi Arabia is seeking to assume a central role in international diplomacy while deepening its ties with longtime ally Washington. The discussions will be an opportunity for the oil-rich Arab nation to assert its political clout after it rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gaza’s residents while resisting any normalization of relations with Israel. “Riyadh wanted to have a bigger diplomatic footprint,” said Amin Tarzi, an adjunct professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California’s Washington, D.C. Program. He says that Riyadh is seeking to “revive the relationship” that Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman built with U.S. President Donald Trump during his first administration. In May 2017, Trump made his first foreign visit to Saudi Arabia. “Both Riyadh and Washington would like to expand relations under the current U.S. administration,” said Tarzi.

  • Jeeno Thitikul Cruises to 2025 PIF Saudi Ladies International Crown

    Jeeno Thitikul secured her fifth Ladies European Tour (LET) title after storming to a four-stroke victory at the 2025 PIF Saudi Ladies International. The Thai star, who is number four in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, began the day with a three-shot lead at Riyadh Golf Club. Thitikul rolled in a birdie on the first before adding further birdies on the fourth and seventh holes to put herself in a commanding position. Another birdie on the 10th was followed by a bogey on the next hole however, she soon added another birdie on 12 before a dropped shot on the 14th hole. A round of 69 (-3) on the final day to end the week with a score of 16-under-par was more than enough to ensure Thitikul began her 2025 season in the best way.

  • GCC Dominates Global Energy Landscape with Record Oil Production

    GCC countries continue to assert their dominance in global energy markets, securing top rankings across key indicators such as crude oil production, reserves, and natural gas resources. According to the latest figures from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf , the region remains the leading force in crude oil production and holds vast reserves of both crude oil and natural gas. The GCC nations, collectively producing approximately 17 million barrels per day of crude oil in 2023, account for an impressive 23.2% of the world’s total crude oil output. Despite facing a 6.8% reduction in production compared to 2022, the GCC still maintains its status as the world’s top producer. The drop in output reflects broader market dynamics, including fluctuating global demand and OPEC’s collective production targets.

  • Rubio arrives in Saudi Arabia before Russia talks to end Ukraine war

    Russia said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with top U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on Tuesday that will focus on ending the war in Ukraine and restoring "the whole complex" of Russia-U.S. ties. Rubio arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday on a previously planned trip. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who are set to arrive later on Monday, will be joining him at the talks with the Russians. The talks will be among the first high-level, in-person discussions in years between Russian and U.S. officials and are meant to precede a meeting between the U.S. and Russian presidents. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to President Vladimir Putin, would fly to the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday. Riyadh, which is also involved in talks with Washington over the future of the Gaza Strip, has played a role in early contacts between the Trump administration, which took office on January 20, and Moscow, helping to secure a prisoner swap last week.

  • Zelenskyy Arrives In Middle East, But Kyiv Says Peace Talks Not On Agenda

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the Middle East as the United States prepared to hold talks in Saudi Arabia with Russia on how to end Moscow’s war with Ukraine, but Zelenskyy said Kyiv was not invited and that he had no plans to participate in those discussions. Zelenskyy, who landed in the United Arab Emirates late on February 16, said he was on a mission to boost economic ties in the region and that he would later travel to neighboring Saudi Arabia, also to discuss business matters.

  • Saudi Arabia Expands Absher Platform with New Digital Identity Services for Citizens and Expatriates

    Saudi Arabia has expanded its Absher digital platform with new services that streamline government procedures for citizens and expatriates. The platform recently achieved a milestone of 28 million digital identities in December 2024. Maj. Gen. Saleh Al Murabba, Chief of the Saudi Directorate of Passports, announced new features including digital identity verification for expatriates, photo upload capabilities for dependent passports, and enhanced national ID card management services. Expatriate residents can now display digital identification details to authorities, update passport information, and submit photos for passport-related procedures through the platform.

  • Saudi Arabia awards almost $2bn of contracts in January

    Saudi government entities awarded more than SAR6.5 billion ($1.7 billion) of contracts in January, led by housing, infrastructure and industry. More than half the value of the contracts issued last month – SAR3.7 billion – was allocated towards construction, with the remainder going on water , energy and industry projects, the Saudi Contractors’ Authority (SCA) said last week in its latest Muqawil (contractor) bulletin. There were 15 projects in all, and the capital Riyadh took the lion’s share by value at SAR4.8 billion. This month, the SCA is expecting the number of awarded contracts to rise to 25, from entities including Saudi Electricity Company, the National Housing Company and the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

  • Saudi Arabia Emerges as Key Global Player Under Trump

    Saudi Arabia's diplomatic maneuvers reflect its ambitions to assert itself globally while securing its own geopolitical interests. Its support for a negotiated peace in Ukraine could bolster its influence with both Washington and Moscow, while its leadership on Gaza underscores its regional authority. The Kingdom's balancing act will test its ability to navigate the complex dynamics of great power competition and Middle East stability. "Saudi Arabia's recent diplomatic maneuvers reflect a growing maturity from Riyadh that we didn't see during President Donald Trump's first term. The Kingdom appears to have moved on from an unrealistic foreign policy approach towards the region, and instead seems to be using its leverage and embracing diplomacy as a tool for regional stability and strategic influence."