From US aid to mineral deal: Much at stake as Zelensky, Rubio arrive in Saudi for crucial US-Ukraine talks
World: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is set to participate in US-Ukraine talks on Tuesday, said that the meeting is important to understand Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Jeddah for discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday (March 10), according to reports from AFP and Reuters, citing a Ukrainian official.
US-Ukraine talks to follow
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is set to participate in US-Ukraine talks on Tuesday, said that the meeting is important to understand Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
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"Important point is to establish clearly Ukraine’s intentions to reach a point where peace is possible. The important thing to leave with is a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared to do difficult things like the Russians will. There are still more details to be worked out on the minerals deal with Ukraine. There will at some point be an effort to engage with Russia and establish a process to determine their positions, see how far apart we are," Rubio said.
He also said that the US must grasp Ukraine’s stance and have a broad understanding of any concessions Kyiv might be willing to consider. The ongoing pause in aid to Ukraine is another key issue Rubio hopes to resolve, and Tuesday’s discussions will be crucial in addressing the matter.
US intelligence support for Ukraine
Meanwhile, Donald Trump's former Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, asserted that the US had not cut off intelligence support for Ukraine’s defensive needs.
"The US never shut off intelligence for 'anything defensive that the Ukrainians needed'," Witkoff said. He is part of the US delegation set to meet Ukrainian officials in Jeddah on Tuesday.
What to expect from the talks?
During the upcoming peace talks in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine is expected to push for a ceasefire with Russia in both the air and at sea, according to an official.
Discussions will centre on efforts to achieve peace, although neither US President Donald Trump nor President Zelensky will be present. Russia is also not participating.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented on the state of US-Russia relations, describing them as being at "an initial stage of restoring bilateral relations". He further questioned whether Ukrainian authorities genuinely seek peace.
Zelensky, however, reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment, saying, “Ukraine has been striving for peace since the first second of the war.”
(With inputs from agencies)
