International
The United States, Russia and Ukraine send delegations to Saudi Arabia in the face of a possible negotiation to end the war
The United States, Russia and Ukraine sent delegations to Saudi Arabia at a time of growing speculation about the possible negotiations between Washington and Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
The US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, confirmed on Sunday that an American delegation will travel to the kingdom in the next few hours to meet with Russian officials within the framework of contacts aimed at finding a way out of the conflict.
At the same time, a Ukrainian delegation will also be present in the country, although it is not clear whether it will participate in the talks.
In an interview this Sunday with the Fox network, Witkoff revealed that the US delegation will be composed of himself and the White House National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, and explained that they plan to travel tonight.
“We’ll leave tonight. I will travel with the National Security advisor and we will hold meetings on behalf of the president. We hope to achieve significant progress in relation to Russia and Ukraine,” he said.
Witkoff also said that he “belied” that Ukraine would be part of the negotiations with the Russian delegation. “I don’t think it’s about excluding anyone,” he said.
According to local media, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who was in Israel today and tomorrow will arrive in Saudi Arabia as part of his first tour in the Middle East as head of US diplomacy, will also be part of the US delegation.
When the leaders of Russia and the United States spoke on the phone on February 12, Trump announced that he had reached an agreement with Putin to start “negotiations immediately” with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine and appointed Rubio, Waltz, Witkoff and the director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, as the negotiating team.
Subsequently, Trump announced his intention to hold a summit with Putin in Saudi Arabia, although there is still no date for the meeting.
The Kremlin has not officially announced who will be part of the Russian delegation in the first high-level meeting between the two countries since the beginning of the war in February 2022.
However, according to CNN, which cites sources familiar with the matter, the delegation could include senior political, intelligence and economic officials, including Kirill Dmitriev, who played a key role in the recent prisoner exchange between the two countries.
While the US delegation is heading to Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian delegation has already arrived in the kingdom, according to Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, announced on Facebook.
Svyrydenko explained that the objective of the trip is to strengthen economic ties with Saudi Arabia and prepare a possible trip for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although he did not specify whether the delegation will participate in the negotiations between Washington and Moscow.
In an interview broadcast this Sunday by NBC, Zelenski insisted that “no world leader” can reach an agreement on Ukraine without his participation. Asked if Putin is capable of negotiating in good faith, he replied: “He is a liar. He doesn’t want peace.”
According to an advisor close to Zelenski quoted by NBC, until Saturday night Ukraine had not been invited to the talks between the US and Russia and reiterated that Kiev considers it essential that there is a “joint position” between its country, Washington and Europe before any negotiation with Putin.
The eventual meeting between the US and Russia to end the war has generated concern both in the Ukrainian Government, which has warned that it will not accept any agreement without its consent, and in Europe, where this Monday the leaders of the EU, the United Kingdom, the European Commission and NATO will hold a meeting to define their strategy.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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