US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia: Zelenskyy eyes resumption of intel sharing, military aid

Ukrainian officials are set to hold high-stakes talks with US counterparts in Saudi Arabia this week, aiming to persuade Washington to resume intelligence-sharing and military assistance, which was frozen by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to make the case that Kyiv is prepared for swift negotiations to end the war with Russia, Financial Times cited officials familiar with the preparations as saying.

Ukrainian negotiators are reportedly offering a partial ceasefire covering long-range drone and missile strikes as well as combat operations in the Black Sea, in hopes of securing renewed US support.

The talks come after Ukraine’s forces withdrew from Russian territory they had seized last year in the Kursk region– one of the first tangible effects of the US suspension of aid. Kyiv has prioritised mending ties with Washington, with officials seeing progress in ceasefire talks as key to unlocking military and intelligence support.

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Diplomatic push in Jeddah

Zelenskyy is scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before the formal negotiations begin Tuesday. Andriy Yermak, head of Zelenskyy’s office, will lead Ukraine’s delegation, which includes Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the talks in Jeddah from Monday to Wednesday, with a directive to “advance the president’s goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war,” a spokesperson said.

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The negotiations come after a tense February 28 meeting at the White House, where differences between Trump and Zelenskyy over Ukraine’s war strategy led to a sharp deterioration in ties.

Ukrainian officials have since recalibrated their approach, shifting toward a more conciliatory stance in order to restore Washington’s backing.

Trump’s conditions for renewed aid

Trump has been reluctant to reengage in military support for Ukraine. While he did not directly reference the Saudi talks in a Sunday (March 10) interview with Fox News, he said he was confident that a US-Ukraine minerals deal would be signed soon.

However, NBC News reported that by itself, a minerals agreement would be insufficient for Trump to reinstate aid. The administration is also pressing for Ukraine to shift its position on peace talks, including potential territorial concessions to Russia and movement toward holding elections– or even Zelenskyy stepping down as president.

European allies have signalled support for Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels and Kyiv were “working very, very closely together.”

A coalition of about 20 nations, led by the UK and France, has reportedly discussed options to continue backing Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, though Trump has not committed to supporting such a plan, according to Financial Times.

Ceasefire framework in focus

As part of a broader effort to secure US assistance, Ukraine has proposed a step-by-step ceasefire framework. The plan would begin with halting aerial attacks and naval operations and ending strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure. It would then move toward prisoner exchanges and securing the return of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia.

Despite Kyiv’s push for diplomatic progress, Moscow remains sceptical. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed Ukraine’s latest approach, warning that “some kind of respite is absolutely unacceptable” without a “final settlement.”