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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been addressing the press aboard his military aircraft as he heads to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 10, 2025.
Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images
Officials from the U.S. and Ukraine are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, marking their first dialogue since the intense Oval Office confrontation between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in late February.
Leading the U.S. delegation, Secretary Rubio will be joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. The Ukrainian side will be represented by Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, filling the void left by Zelenskyy, who is not attending the meeting despite having arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has been actively facilitating discussions among the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia, aiming to forge a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The meeting has been described as “high-stakes,” particularly in light of the recent tensions that have led the U.S. to halt military assistance and intelligence collaborations with Kyiv, increasing pressure on Ukrainian forces in the field.
According to U.S. officials, the meeting’s purpose is to gauge Ukraine’s willingness to make necessary compromises to facilitate peace, though suggested concessions—including the surrender of occupied territories to Russia and abandoning aspirations for NATO membership—are seen as politically challenging for Kyiv.
In his separate meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Rubio emphasized the necessity for Ukraine to recognize Russian control over certain regions in any comprehensive peace agreement, noting that Russia currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine. While Kyiv is seeking security guarantees to prevent future hostilities from Russia, the U.S. has yet to commit to providing such assurances.
“This meeting is vital to clarify Ukraine’s intentions and their recently expressed commitment to peace,” Rubio remarked to journalists in Jeddah. “Figuring out how far apart the two sides are is critical, and we don’t have that information at this point.”
He added, “Understanding both parties’ positions will help us assess the magnitude of the divide and the challenges ahead. I genuinely hope for a constructive dialogue from this interaction.” Rubio concluded by stressing the importance of Ukraine’s readiness to make tough decisions, paralleling the difficult choices that Russia must also confront, in order to pursue an end to the conflict or at least a cessation of hostilities.
Ceasefire Proposal
On February 28, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
In light of a recent thaw in relations between Washington and Moscow, Ukraine has been actively attempting to mend its ties with the U.S. Following a significant meeting in Riyadh last month, where Ukraine and its European partners were notably absent, tensions reached a boiling point with a public fallout involving Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance.
Following this incident, the U.S. imposed a suspension on military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. Since then, Kyiv’s leadership has been working to restore diplomatic relations, labeling the recent disputes as “regrettable.” Additionally, U.S. officials, including Trump, have indicated that Zelenskyy expressed remorse over the prior encounter, which ended with his swift departure from the White House without finalizing a critical minerals agreement.
The details of that deal remain contentious.
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