Saudi Arabia is mediating Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks to boost its diplomatic profile and position itself for future U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen is a fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute, Rice University.
Oman plays a crucial role in keeping a backchannel of communication open between the U.S. and Iran as parties seek to tamp down tensions.
Saudi Arabia is pausing the normalization process will Israel, which may give it greater leverage in the future with the U.S. and Israel.