Saudi Arabia is set to host talks Tuesday between the United States and Ukraine after an argument erupted during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's February 28 visit to the White House.
Riyadh, the capital of the oil-rich kingdom, may seem like an unusual venue for talks aimed at smoothing over relations after the blowup. But Saudi Arabia under its assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been positioning itself as an ideal location for possible peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow and even the first face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
Here's what to know about why this meeting is taking place and Saudi Arabia's role:
Why are these talks happening?
US and Ukrainian officials will meet after the Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance descended into an extraordinary 10-minute argument before journalists.
Trump at one point admonished Zelenskyy by angrily saying: "You're gambling with