Zelenskyy names three key aspects for talks with US in Saudi Arabia
Photo: Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office
During negotiations in Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian and US delegations will discuss three key aspects. These include the resource agreement, military assistance, and the format of the negotiation process with Russia, Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office, says in a comment to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
Podolyak excluded a unilateral ceasefire that would not lead to a negotiation process. According to the advisor, there is no connection between the ceasefire and signing the mineral resources agreement. These are parallel processes.
"There are many discussions at this stage. There is direct communication between the administrations of the presidents about the need to meet in a bilateral format. This could certainly happen in Riyadh. The President will have an official meeting with the representatives of Saudi Arabia, and then there will be a bilateral meeting at the level of the US-Ukraine administrations, and so on. This is what is being discussed," said Podolyak.
The Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office outlined three key aspects of the talks with the US in Saudi Arabia. The first is how the framework agreement between Ukraine and the US will look, as it is still being worked on. The second aspect of the negotiations is military assistance.
"Let’s not forget that there are certain critical types of weapons for us that can only be provided by the United States, or certain critical tools such as missiles for the Patriot systems, considering that Russia continues its missile attacks on Ukrainian territory. And third, this is the key issue. Regarding what format the negotiation process with Russia might have? I mean, what stages there might be and how the positions between us, Europe, and the US will be coordinated," explained Podolyak.
Negotiations in Saudi Arabia
Yesterday President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the Ukrainian and US delegations will meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, March 11.
US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, noted that the frameworks for a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia will be discussed in Saudi Arabia.
According to RBC-Ukraine sources, Andriy Yermak, Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, will lead the Ukrainian delegation. Media reports also indicate that Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov, will participate in the talks.
From the American side, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will take part.
