UPDATE - Saudi defense minister arrives in Washington for official visit

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By Rasa Evrensel and Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman arrived in Washington, DC on Monday for an official visit, the Saudi Defense Ministry announced on X.

The visit aims to enhance bilateral relations between the two friendly nations and discuss key issues of mutual interest, the ministry said.

Last Tuesday, the Saudi capital Riyadh hosted discussions between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as part of Saudi efforts to improve relations between the two countries, with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in attendance, according to Saudi media.

Various Arab nations and organizations also welcomed Saudi Arabia's initiative to host a meeting aimed at resolving tensions between the US and Russia, which have escalated since the onset of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. They expressed hope for a resolution to the war and the stabilization of the global and regional landscape.