Russia has freed an American citizen detained on drug charges, in what the State Department called a “welcome gesture” ahead of a meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.

Russia has freed an American citizen detained on drug charges, in what the State Department called a “welcome gesture” ahead of a meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.

President Trump signed several new agreements with Saudi Arabia on the first leg of a three-nation tour of the Middle East. It's his first major trip abroad since retaking the White House. Trump ...

American Kalob Byers, 28, ... Byers that Moscow expects “to discuss restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations” at the talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, ...

Moreover, Riyadh long has acted against important American interests. Unsurprisingly, the KSA’s foreign policy has always been centered on the interests of the royal family, not Saudi Arabia.

Russia released another American held on drug charges on Monday, in what the Kremlin acknowledged was a good-will gesture on the eve of talks between senior Russian and U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia.

"Last time I went to Saudi Arabia, they put up $450 million," Mr. Trump told reporters in March, while pledging to make the visit again should there be another investment in American companies.

Saudi Arabia faces no threat to its sovereignty, as the Middle East lacks a true regional hegemon. Regional stability is one of Washington’s main rationales in its dealings with Riyadh.

Russia has freed an American citizen detained on drug charges, in what the State Department called a “welcome gesture” ahead of a meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.