Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, marking the second leg of his Middle East tour, amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding Gaza and Ukraine. The visit comes as the Trump administration faces criticism for its unilateral approach to both conflicts, particularly its lack of consultation with key international partners.
The Saudi embassy in Washington confirmed that Rubio met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, with a scheduled meeting later in the day with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Rubio, who traveled to Riyadh from Israel, is expected to push Saudi leadership to offer a vision for Gaza’s future, following President Trump’s controversial plan to depopulate the territory—an idea that has sparked backlash across the Arab world, including in Saudi Arabia. Rubio, along with other U.S. officials, aims to encourage Arab leaders to propose an alternative approach.
In addition to his discussions on Gaza, Rubio is set to meet on Tuesday with Russian officials to address the future of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. U.S. officials Mike Waltz (National Security Adviser) and Steve Witkoff (Trump’s Middle East Envoy) will join him in these talks.
The Trump administration’s recent actions—especially Trump’s unilateral phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the proposal for a Gaza takeover—have raised concerns across Europe and the Middle East. In Europe, leaders fear being excluded from key decisions regarding Ukraine, a conflict within their own borders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated in a recent interview that his country would not accept any peace deal negotiated between the U.S. and Russia without Ukraine’s direct involvement.
Uncertainty Over Gaza and Israeli Ceasefire
Rubio’s visit also comes amid mounting uncertainty over Gaza, where the future of the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas remains unclear. Israeli officials were expected to meet in Cairo on Monday to discuss the logistics of sending humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the Israeli government has yet to decide whether to extend the truce, which is set to expire in early March unless new negotiations are held.
The Israeli leadership is hesitant to extend the ceasefire if it would allow Hamas to maintain its military capabilities. Although Hamas has signaled a willingness to share administrative control of Gaza, the group is reportedly unwilling to disarm its military wing.
Trump’s controversial proposal to resolve the Gaza crisis by relocating Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan has faced staunch opposition from both Arab nations and Saudi Arabia. Critics, including international law experts, have denounced this idea as ethnic cleansing and a potential war crime.
This proposal has further complicated Israel’s efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia, with the kingdom insisting that it will not recognize Israel if Palestinians are displaced or if Israel fails to establish a path to Palestinian sovereignty.
Tensions also escalated when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Saudi Arabia could host Palestinian refugees and establish a Palestinian state on Saudi soil. This proposal was swiftly rejected by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry, which condemned Netanyahu’s remarks as reflective of an “extremist, occupying mindset” that disregards the cultural and historical significance of Palestinian land.
Other Developments in the Region
In other regional news, the Israeli military reported on Monday that it had killed a senior Hamas operative, Muhammad Shaheen, in a strike in Lebanon. Hamas has maintained a presence in Lebanon, often collaborating with Hezbollah. The strike came just a day before a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah is set to expire, with hopes that the truce will be extended, despite Israeli forces remaining in several positions along the Lebanese border.