Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister held high-level discussions in Washington on Wednesday, ahead of an anticipated visit to Riyadh by US President Donald Trump, which is his first overseas trip since beginning his second term.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department, with both diplomats urging Sudan’s warring factions to resume peace negotiations.
According to a statement from the State Department, the pair “agreed that the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces must return to peace talks, protect civilians, open humanitarian corridors, and return to civilian governance.”
The joint call for renewed dialogue follows claims by the Sudanese army that it had regained full control of Khartoum last week after a prolonged series of clashes with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in conflict between the army and the RSF, sparking what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst current hunger and displacement crisis. Over 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes, tens of thousands have been killed, and a UN-backed report recently confirmed famine conditions in parts of the country.
The United States, under former President Joe Biden, and Saudi Arabia have previously attempted to mediate peace through several rounds of talks, though none have yet succeeded in ending the violence.
Trump, who hinted last month that he may travel to Saudi Arabia as early as April, is expected to make the kingdom his first international destination of his second term – mirroring his 2017 visit.
A source close to the Saudi government told reporters the foreign minister’s trip to Washington was intended to “prepare for Trump’s visit to Riyadh.” The same source, speaking anonymously, added that regional developments in Gaza, Yemen and Syria were also key points on Prince Faisal’s agenda.
The State Department confirmed that both sides discussed diplomatic efforts in Gaza, particularly initiatives to secure the release of hostages and establish a lasting ceasefire. It also noted that Hamas should be “completely disarmed and disempowered” once hostilities end.
Earlier this year, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged $600 billion in US trade and investment, further strengthening ties between Riyadh and Washington. Trump later claimed that Saudi Arabia had agreed to invest nearly $1 trillion in American companies, which he said would create jobs in the United States.
During his first term, Trump enjoyed a notably close relationship with the Saudi leadership and is expected to prioritise Saudi-Israeli normalisation as a cornerstone of his foreign policy.
He also previously defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from harsher consequences after the killing of journalist and US resident Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
