Top Trump administration officials will meet separately with Russian and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia this week, CNN reported on 9 March.
“Big meetings coming up, as you know, in Saudi Arabia. That’s going to include Russia, but Ukraine, we’ll see if we can get something done,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on 9 March.
These meetings will follow a bunch of others last month, including the US-Russian in Saudi Arabia on 18 Feb., where a three-step peace plan was proposed: first, a ceasefire, followed by elections in Ukraine, and then a final agreement.
The planned talks for this week also follow an Oval Office meeting last month between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During that discussion, Trump and Vance berated Zelenskyy over the war, while the Ukrainian leader pushed back on several points regardigng security guarantees and previous deals with Russia.
Since that diplomatic incident, top US and Ukraine have been working to repair relations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is among the US officials scheduled to meet with Ukrainian counterparts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to people briefed on the matter.
The Ukrainian delegation will also meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh before the US-Ukraine talks begin, according to Radio Free Europe.
US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg previously described American pressure on Ukraine as “something like hitting a mule with a board on the nose – you got their attention,” suggesting the suspension of military aid was designed to force Ukraine to the negotiating table.
US halted military aid and intelligence sharing to push Zelenskyy to demonstrates “commitment” to peace negotiations with Russia.
Trump signaled potential pressure on Russia as well, writing on Truth Social that he was “seriously considering implementing massive Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs against Russia until a ceasefire and FINAL PEACE AGREEMENT is reached.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on 10 March that Nn US-Russia meetings will take place this week.
Read also:
- FT: Ukraine to propose a partial ceasefire, hoping to restore US intel and arms aid
- No one chased him: pro-Ukraine protesters accuse Vance of lying
- Trump says US “just about” lifted pause in intelligence sharing with Ukraine
