Kyiv (TDI): President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travels to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, ahead of negotiations between Ukrainian and US officials on ending the war with Russia at an increasingly precarious moment for Kyiv.
The US, once Ukraine’s main ally, has upended its wartime policies in its stated pursuit of a quick end to the fighting, engaging directly with Russia while cutting off military aid and intelligence sharing for Kyiv.
Zelenskyy is likely to meet the Saudi crown prince, whose country has played multiple mediating roles since Russia’s 2022 invasion, including brokering prisoner exchanges and hosting negotiations between Russia and the US last month.
Tuesday’s negotiations between US and Ukrainian officials — the first official meeting since a disastrous Oval Office encounter between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump — are likely to focus on a bilateral minerals agreement and how to end the war.
Under huge pressure from Trump, who wants the war ended as soon as possible, Zelenskyy has been at pains to show they are on the same page, despite failing to win Washington’s security guarantees that Ukraine sees as vital for any peace agreement.
Zelenskyy has said he will not attend Tuesday’s meeting with US officials and that the Ukrainian delegation will include his chief of staff, his foreign and defence ministers and a top military official in the presidential administration.
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He said that Ukraine is fully committed to constructive dialogue and hopes to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and measures.
He added that realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move rapidly and effectively.
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US officials said they were planning to use the talks with the Ukrainians in part to determine whether Kyiv is ready to make material concessions to Moscow to end the war.
