Zelenskyy defers Saudi Arabia visit after Trump-Putin envoys finish Ukraine talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponed a trip to Saudi Arabia scheduled for this week, citing that officials from his country were not invited to US-Russia talks in the kingdom on negotiating an end to the war.

Zelenskyy remarked while meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where he stated that any Russia-Ukraine peace discussions should not be held “behind the backs” of the countries involved.

“We are completely honest and open. That’s why I don’t want any ‘coincidences.’ That’s why I won’t go to Saudi Arabia,” Zelenskyy told reporters at a joint press conference with Erdogan.

“The Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia came as a surprise to us, just as it did to many others. Yes, we saw the media coverage, but I don’t know who will stay, who will leave, or where anyone is going. To be honest, I don’t really care. What matters to me is that our partners take time to think about us.”

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According to reports, the Russian team is set to leave for Moscow on Wednesday, while the US group will remain in Saudi Arabia.

Regardless of Zelenskyy’s attitude, both Russia and the United States appear to be pushing forward with the discussions. On Tuesday, both parties agreed to “address irritants” in bilateral relations while continuing to prepare for discussions on Russia’s conflict against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy has also made his stance clear regarding the meeting progressing without Ukraine’s participation, stating that if the US sacrifices Kyiv’s demands, it would be “Afghanistan 2.0” in his country.

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His statement came as both President Donald Trump and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said they do not see Ukraine joining NATO anytime soon.

The new Trump administration does not appear to be in the mood to support Ukraine anymore, with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing on social media that the American people do not want to see their tax dollars wasted indefinitely on the Ukraine crisis.

Since the crisis escalated in 2022, the US Congress has allocated roughly $183 billion in aid to Kyiv.

Kennedy, who was confirmed as the new US health secretary, said it was time to cut the flow of funding, in a statement on X on Sunday. “The American people will not accept hard-earned tax dollars fueling endless conflicts. We demand an end to these forever wars,” he wrote. “It’s time for peace! The perpetual funding is over!”