On Tuesday, a high-level meeting began in the Saudi port city of Jeddah between the delegations from the United States and Ukraine. About two weeks after a minerals agreement between the two countries was canceled, these discussions commenced. U.S. military aid to Ukraine was suspended following an unusual conversation between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, at the White House.
The U.S. delegation includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. From Ukraine, there are Zelensky's Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Zelensky, Pavlo Palisa. Additionally, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and the country's National Security Advisor Musaed Al Aiban are also attending the meeting.
Ukrainian President Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday and departed early Tuesday after meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. During the visit, they discussed aspects of bilateral relations and the crisis in Ukraine, expressing the Saudi kingdom's commitment to support international efforts to resolve the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also met with the Saudi Crown Prince in Jeddah. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of State, Rubio will stay in the city until Wednesday and will meet with the Ukrainian delegation to pursue a solution to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with President Trump before the meetings in Saudi Arabia. Both expressed their commitment to a lasting peace and were hopeful that the talks between the United States and Ukraine would lead to the restoration of U.S. aid and strengthen information sharing with Ukraine.
