Ukrainian and U.S. delegates are starting their talks in Jeddah on March 11 in a meeting that will likely have a major impact on Washington's future support for Kyiv and any effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
"The meeting with the U.S. team started very constructively; we are working towards a just and lasting peace," said President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
The Ukrainian delegation is said to include Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Zelensky's Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa. The U.S. delegation is led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Fourth hour into the meeting, Waltz and Rubio were seen walking in the Ritz-Carlton hotel's lobby during a break in the meeting. When asked about the progress of the talks, Waltz responded, "Getting there."
The expectations are high as the meeting presents a chance to mend the relations between Kyiv and Washington after a heated exchange between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 28.
Zelensky visited Saudi Arabia on March 10 to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman but will not participate in the talks with U.S. delegates.
The televised spat in the White House led to the U.S. suspending all military aid and restricting intelligence support for Ukraine, endangering its ability to resist Russia's all-out war.
Ukrainian officials aim to push for the resumption of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing at the Jeddah talks, the Financial Times reported on March 9. Ukraine will also reportedly propose a ceasefire in the air and at sea as the first step toward a peaceful settlement.
While traveling to the meeting, Rubio said that Ukraine would need to make territorial concessions as part of any peaceful settlement. The meeting could also see progress on the minerals deal that has been on hold since the White House clash.
"The most important thing that we have to leave here with is a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared to do difficult things, like the Russians are going to have to do difficult things to end this conflict or at least pause it in some way, shape or form," Rubio told reporters on March 10, according to the New York Times.
U.S. officials had previously met with Russian representatives in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 and in Istanbul on Feb. 27 to discuss restoring bilateral relations and holding preliminary peace talks without Ukraine's involvement.
Chris York
