The Trump-Putin Riyadh Summit is a big deal

The White House has announced plans for US President Donald J. Trump to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and other issues.

That the talks are taking place somewhere other than Europe has scandalized some. To me, it is a breath of fresh air. It shows that the parties are serious about getting a deal done, with the US playing an appropriate role in the process. The Europeans have no credibility with Putin — and vanishing credibility in the rest of the world — which makes it nearly impossible for them to bring him to the table.

Furthermore, according to some estimates, Europe has allocated approximately $138 billion of aid to Ukraine while the US has contributed about $119 billion. Why the US has contributed nearly half of the combined European and American aid is baffling.

It reminds me of when President Joe Biden touted in his 2022 State of the Union address how he had “spent months building a coalition of other freedom-loving nations,” including European countries, “to confront Putin,” and had to spend “countless hours unifying our European allies.”

It should not fall to the president of the US to build a coalition of European nations. The leader of the free world should not have to waste time “unifying” Europe to deal with its biggest challenge in decades.

Trump’s message makes sense: No, Europe, a peace summit does not belong in Brussels, Paris or Berlin. You could not get your act together, not even when it came to keeping Europe safe.

Instead of allowing the Johnny-come-lately Europeans to host and have a hand in the discussions, the president went in a totally different direction.

Holding the negotiations in Riyadh is practical and highly symbolic. It recognizes and reinforces Saudi Arabia’s growing influence on the global stage as an ally trusted by nations around the world, including the US, particularly as a mediator.

The choice of the Kingdom as the location, and the expected direct involvement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the discussions, reflects the fact that Saudi Arabia is now “open” not only when it comes to attracting investment, tourism and strategic cooperation, it is also “open” as a center for diplomacy and world affairs. A shift is underway toward a more proactive Saudi role in fostering global stability; in other words, using its name, talent and vast resources for good.

It seems that Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries including the UAE and Qatar, are becoming the trusted mediators European nations once were. Saudi facilitation of dialogue between the US and Russia could cement the Kingdom’s status as neutral ground on which contentious issues can be addressed constructively. Building giga-project cities is a big deal — but helping to build a stable international order is another level of achievement.

There is another important dynamic at play in these discussions. The fact that presidents Trump and Putin seek to engage in direct talks is noteworthy, given the strained relations between the two nations in recent years.

Direct dialogue is crucial. As a nuclear power, Russia’s actions have far-reaching implications for global security. Trump has long emphasized the importance of maintaining a working relationship with Russia. “It’s a big country, it’s a nuclear country,” he famously said in 2018. “It’s a country that we should get along with.”

He said this with good reason. Historically, attempts to subdue Russia through military means have proven futile. From Napoleon’s campaign to the Second World War, Russia has shown that it is not where you want to sink deeper into war.

Some argue that this approach amounts to appeasement. But if the US is no longer willing to bankroll Ukraine’s defense, and the Europeans had to be pushed together to help Ukraine at the start of the war, and even today Europeans cannot agree to what extent they are prepared to defend Ukraine and any peace agreement, perhaps it is time to recognize that Trump’s realist approach is the most workable one.

A shift is underway toward a more proactive Saudi role in fostering global stability; in other words, using its name, talent and vast resources for good

Jason D. Greenblatt

In any case, it is not appeasement to seek a compromise that will put an end to ongoing death and destruction.

Regardless of one’s positions on the war and Putin (even some Republicans have voiced their disagreement with Trump), those who disagree with Trump’s approach must remember that his primary responsibility is to safeguard American interests. By initiating talks with Russia, he aims to strike a balance ensuring that an end to the war does not somehow jeopardize American interests.

Hosting discussions in Saudi Arabia aligns with this strategy: It strengthens US-Saudi relations and empowers Saudi Arabia to continue to grow as a stabilizing force in the region and beyond. Saudi diplomatic leadership bodes well for the Middle East, for an American public that would like to focus its attention on the home front, and an administration that wants to focus its foreign policy on China and other matters.

Trump appreciates, and is advancing, a pragmatic approach to international relations. He acknowledges that global challenges require innovative coalitions capable of getting any counterpart to the negotiating table, and eventually to reach a workable compromise.

Gulf leaders are pragmatic and business-oriented. Their goal is to prosper in a calm world, and they recognize that this requires significant investment of time and talent. That is why they are natural candidates to host meetings, especially when other topics that affect the US and Russia, beyond Ukraine, are sure to arise.

Altogether, the decision to hold the Trump-Putin meeting in Riyadh is a big deal. It is emblematic of a broader strategy to entrust emerging global players with seats at the table. That strategy should play a larger role in the coming years, as other heads of state follow the Trump model.

Trump will not be the last to embrace realistic foreign-policy approaches that prioritize each nation’s interests. Nor is he the only leader who wants to work with counterparts who want to work with him, not against him. That is a lesson European, and some other, leaders will have to learn fast if they do not want to be left out of more key discussions. Surprisingly, thus far, those leaders do not seem to grasp it.

Saudi Arabia facilitating high-stakes discussions shows that we are witnessing a remarkable period in international diplomacy. Traditional alliances will need maintenance or fade away, while newer ones are bearing fruit.

The world is quickly learning why pragmatic Gulf nations have emerged as homes for negotiated solutions to complex situations. They have leadership that seeks peace, stability and prosperity. They elevate smart, forward-looking individuals who actually lead and do not just spout empty words and diplomatic niceties. They do not throw tantrums when they do not get their way. Their approach is a far cry from European disunion and the political games that seem to dominate there.

Anyone with the right attitude, who is willing to work with Trump to achieve those goals, will be welcome at his table.

• Jason D. Greenblatt was the White House Middle East envoy in the first Trump administration. He is the author of “In the Path of Abraham: How Donald Trump Made Peace in the Middle East — and How to Stop Joe Biden From Unmaking It” and the founder of Abraham Venture LLC. X: @GreenblattJD