Trump, Arab Leaders to Hold High-Level Meeting in Riyadh for Key Regional Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet with several key Middle Eastern leaders in Riyadh on Tuesday, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, according to a well-informed source who spoke to Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper.

The source said the proposal for the high-level meeting was initiated by the Saudi Crown Prince and has received Trump’s approval. The meeting is seen as a potentially pivotal moment for regional diplomacy, with speculation mounting over the possibility of a major announcement on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

According to the source, bin Salman is pressing for a clear commitment from Trump to the establishment of a Palestinian state, a move the Kingdom sees as a historic achievement for Saudi diplomacy.

While the source declined to comment on the specific outcomes expected from the meeting, the participation of four regional heads of state alongside the U.S. president has fueled widespread speculation about the geopolitical stakes.

Adding to the anticipation, The Jerusalem Post recently cited a Gulf source as saying that Trump plans to recognize a Palestinian state during his first official visit to the region since returning to the White House.

Tuesday’s meeting is set to precede a broader U.S.-Gulf summit in mid-May, also hosted by Saudi Arabia. That event is expected to cover a sweeping agenda, including a raft of security, defense, and technology deals, as well as discussions on artificial intelligence.

The summit echoes a similar high-level gathering in Riyadh on May 21, 2017, during Trump’s first term, which aimed to bolster U.S.-Arab ties and strengthen coordination on regional security and counterterrorism efforts.