Russian President Vladimir Putin has briefed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his meeting with US President Donald Trump, aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Mr Trump and Mr Putin met in Alaska on Friday, marking the first meeting between the presidents of the US and Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine more than three years ago.
During Tuesday's phone call, Mr Putin thanked the kingdom for its role in the process, after it hosted negotiators from the US and Russia in March, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He reiterated his appreciation for Prince Mohammed's efforts towards ending the Ukraine war.
“The Crown Prince affirmed the kingdom’s continued support for diplomatic dialogue as a means of resolving international disputes,” the report added.
While no deal was reached in Alaska, Mr Trump and Mr Putin agreed to continue with the process towards peace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy then met Mr Trump at the White House on Monday, along with European leaders.
The US President has said a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders is required first to set the peace process in motion, although concerns remain that Mr Putin may not agree to bilateral talks.
US efforts towards a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine started to take shape in Saudi Arabia in March, during the first high-level meeting between American and Russian officials in years.
The talks, which focused among other issues on trying to reach a Black Sea maritime ceasefire deal, were described by Washington as a step in Mr Trump's efforts to end the war.
Before the talks in Riyadh, Mr Zelenskyy had also met Prince Mohammed in Jeddah to discuss peace efforts. During the meeting, the Crown Prince voiced the kingdom's support for international efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine, SPA said at the time. Mr Zelenskyy said he was grateful for Prince Mohammed's perspective and highlighted the important role played by Saudi Arabia in recent talks.
Russia has occupied about 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory, a vast area that is home to more than three million people. How much land Ukraine will agree to give up to its enemy will be a key component in reaching a peace deal.
It has been a struggle to reach even a limited, 30-day ceasefire – which Moscow and Kyiv agreed to in principle earlier this year – as both sides continued to attack each other with drones and missiles. The agreement fell short of the broader ceasefire that Washington and Kyiv had sought, which would have paused hostilities entirely for 30 days.
