In a pivotal meeting held on Tuesday, U.S. and Ukrainian officials convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marking their first encounter since the Oval Office spat between President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in late February. Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads the U.S. delegation, while Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to President Zelenskyy, heads the Ukrainian team. This meeting is billed as "high-stakes," given the heightened tensions between Washington and Kyiv and the pressing need to explore potential pathways to peace.
The discussions in Jeddah are part of an effort spearheaded by Saudi Arabia to bring the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia together in search of a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. has expressed a keen interest in gauging Ukraine's willingness to make concessions, which could include ceding occupied territories to Russia and abandoning future NATO membership aspirations. This stance aligns with the U.S.'s recent decision to cut military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, placing additional pressure on Ukrainian forces.
"The important point in this meeting is to establish clearly their [Ukraine's] intentions, their desire, as they've said publicly now numerous times, to reach a point where peace is possible. And then we'll have to determine how far they are from the Russian position, which we don't know yet either" – Marco Rubio
Despite the absence of President Zelenskyy from the talks, he emphasized Ukraine's constructive approach. Zelenskyy traveled to Saudi Arabia on Monday for discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, underscoring Saudi Arabia's central role in facilitating these peace efforts.
"Ukraine's position in these talks will be fully constructive" – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukraine, mindful of the escalating stakes, is determined to demonstrate openness and readiness to make concessions aimed at ending the war. With Russia currently occupying approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, Kyiv sees this meeting as an opportunity to discuss strategies for safeguarding its interests while pursuing peace.
"The team is onsite. Getting ready to work. Protecting Ukrainian interests, a clear vision of ending the war, we will work effectively with our American partners" – Andriy Yermak
The U.S., however, has made it clear that security guarantees for Ukraine will not be part of any peace deal. Instead, the focus remains on determining the extent of the divide between Ukrainian and Russian positions.
"Once you understand where both sides truly are, it gives you a sense of how big the divide is and how hard it's going to be. So I'm hoping it'll be a positive interaction along those lines" – Marco Rubio
Saudi Arabia's initiative to bring these parties together highlights its growing influence in international diplomacy. As both Ukrainian and American delegations engage in dialogue, the world watches closely, hopeful for tangible progress toward peace.