What was the purpose of Secretary Rubio's meeting with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia?

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with top Russian officials in Saudi Arabia during his first Middle East trip to discuss potential pathways to end the war in Ukraine. While these were not formal peace talks, Rubio's engagement aimed at initiating a serious dialogue around the conflict and setting in motion a process that could eventually lead to peace negotiations. This diplomatic effort represents an important step in exploring options to resolve the ongoing war, though it appears to be a preliminary conversation rather than a formal negotiation.