US wants to determine in Jeddah whether Ukraine ready to make concessions to Russia - Reuters
US officials hold a meeting with Ukrainians in Saudi Arabia (Illustrative photo: Flickr by US Department of State)
The US delegation plans to assess Kyiv’s stance on potential concessions to Russia to end the war during an upcoming meeting with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, reports Reuters.
Two US officials told a Western news agency that Washington’s delegation plans to use the March 11 meeting with Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia to assess whether Kyiv is willing to make substantial concessions to Russia in exchange for ending the war.
Additionally, Reuters reports that US officials will be watching for signs that Ukrainians are serious about improving ties with the Trump administration following the tense exchange between the two leaders in the Oval Office on February 28. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, shared this information with Western journalists.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will fly to Jeddah for bilateral talks with Ukrainian officials, with the Ukrainian delegation led by Andrii Yermak, Head of the President’s Office.
Joining Rubio in these discussions will be US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and the US President’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
According to one American official, who spoke about the upcoming negotiations between the Ukrainian and US delegations, “You can't say 'I want peace,' and, 'I refuse to compromise on anything.’”
“We want to see if the Ukrainians are interested not just in peace, but in a realistic peace. If they are only interested in 2014 or 2022 borders, that tells you something,” said another official in a conversation with Reuters.
Ukraine-US negotiations in Saudi Arabia
As previously reported, the negotiations between the Ukrainian and US delegations are scheduled to take place in Jeddah on Tuesday, March 11. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Saudi Arabia will precede the meeting, but he will not participate in the delegation talks.
The US delegation will be represented by US Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agenda for the Jeddah meeting will cover bilateral relations, strategic partnership, its further development, and the path to peace in Ukraine. The meeting will also provide a good opportunity to discuss Zelenskyy's proposal for a ceasefire with Russia in the air and at sea.
On March 8, President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine hopes the talks with the US in Saudi Arabia will be productive, and that Ukrainian interests will be taken into account.
