Officials from Ukraine and the United States commenced discussions in Saudi Arabia aimed at discovering ways to end the ongoing war with Russia, just hours after Ukraine executed its largest drone strike on Moscow to date.
President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope that the negotiations in Jeddah would reinstate “pragmatic” relations with the US, following a challenging meeting with US President Donald Trump last month, and has proposed an initial truce with Russia regarding air and maritime activities.
Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to the Ukrainian presidency, who is participating in the talks, mentioned that the discussions have started off on a positive note.
“The meeting with the US team commenced very constructively, and we are continuing our efforts,” Mr. Yermak shared on social media.
Since the invasion in 2022, the United States has been Ukraine’s primary ally, but it has recently altered its approach regarding the war, increasing pressure on Ukraine by halting military support and suspending intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
“We are hopeful for tangible outcomes,” Mr. Zelensky stated in a post on X prior to the talks last night, adding, “Ukraine’s stance in these negotiations will be fully constructive.”
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In a significant overnight operation, Ukraine executed its most extensive drone assault on Moscow yet, deploying at least 91 drones, resulting in one fatality, igniting fires, shutting down airports, and leading to the diversion of numerous flights, according to Russian authorities.
The timing of the attack—during which Russia claimed to have downed 337 drones—appeared designed to demonstrate Ukraine’s capability for substantial strikes, despite a recent series of Russian missile attacks that left at least 14 victims on Saturday.
Mr. Zelensky has been urging his European partners to support his truce proposal, which he believes presents an opportunity to test Russia’s intent to conclude the war.
Ukraine is working to restore its ties with the US following the clash at the White House, which placed the signing of a bilateral minerals agreement in jeopardy and jeopardized Ukraine’s pursuit of security assurances from the US.
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Mr. Trump has emphasized the significance of the minerals deal, scheduled for discussion today, as crucial for maintaining US support and compensating for the substantial military aid provided to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion three years ago.
Last month, Mr. Trump criticized the Ukrainian president during their Oval Office meeting.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed reporters on the way to Jeddah that the discussions with Ukraine would be vital in assessing its willingness to make concessions for peace.
“We need to comprehend the Ukrainian standpoint and have a general understanding of what concessions they might consider, as achieving a ceasefire and concluding this war will necessitate concessions from both parties,” he remarked.
Mr. Rubio is accompanying US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz to the talks.
Andriy Yermak, a senior aide to Mr. Zelensky, is leading the Ukrainian delegation.
Mr. Zelensky, who met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia yesterday, will not be present for the discussions.
“The meeting between the Ukrainian and American delegations is commencing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,” the Ukrainian foreign ministry stated on Telegram, sharing a video of senior Ukrainian officials entering a meeting room around 9 AM Irish time.
The Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, extends a welcome to the Ukrainian delegation (Pic: Ukrainian Presidency).
Before the talks, Mr. Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who has been involved in diplomacy related to Ukraine, expressed optimism regarding the imminent signing of the US-Ukraine minerals deal.
Mr. Witkoff plans to travel to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin, as per a source familiar with the arrangements.
Ukraine’s European allies contend that Ukraine can only engage in negotiations for a peace agreement with Russia from a position of strength and should not be hurried into discussions with an aggressor.
Mr. Zelensky has warned that Putin is not seeking peace and has cautioned that Russia may target other European nations if its invasion of Ukraine does not end in a decisive defeat.
Mr. Rubio refrained from detailing the concessions each side might need to make but noted that Ukraine would face challenges in reclaiming all its lost territories.
Marco Rubio indicated that the Trump administration would likely welcome a ceasefire proposal.
“The Russians can’t conquer all of Ukraine, and it’s evident that it would be quite challenging for Ukraine to force the Russians back to their positions from 2014 in any reasonable timeframe,” he told reporters.
Currently, Russia occupies approximately one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014, and Russian forces maintain a repressive presence in the eastern Donetsk region.
In February, US and Russian officials convened in the Saudi capital for a rare meeting between these former Cold War adversaries, focusing primarily on restoring relations after a near-total cessation of official exchanges under former US President Joe Biden.
