Breaking News: Why are US and Ukraine holding talks on ending war with Russia in Saudi Arabia?…. Check In

After a tense Trump-Zelenskyy clash in February, the US and Ukraine will hold talks in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war with Russia. What makes Jeddah the chosen venue?

The United States and Ukraine are set to hold talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss ending the war with Russia. This meeting follows a tense exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump at the White House on February 28.

This will be the first official meeting between the two nations since their controversial Oval Office encounter. The discussions are expected to revolve around two main issues – A bilateral minerals deal between the US and Ukraine and efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war between Moscow and Kyiv.

Tensions between Washington and Kyiv escalated after the clash between the two presidents at the White House, leading the US to pause all military aid to Ukraine and stop intelligence sharing. Additionally, reports suggest the Trump administration is considering revoking the legal status of 2,40,000 Ukrainian refugees in the US, who fled the Russian invasion, potentially exposing them to deportation.

The upcoming talks follow earlier US-Russia talks held in Saudi Arabia on February 18. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the American delegation, said both sides broadly agreed on three objectives – Restoring embassy staffing in Washington and Moscow, creating a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks, and exploring closer diplomatic and economic cooperation.

Rubio emphasised that while these talks were a step forward, more work remains. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was among the senior officials present at the meeting.

WILL ZELENSKYY BE A PART OF TALKS IN SAUDI?
Ahead of the talks, Zelenskyy will be meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. While Zelenskyy is not expected to play a formal role in the negotiations, a Ukrainian delegation – including Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov – will represent Kyiv in the discussions.

On the US side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the delegation and meet with Prince Mohammed. Sybiha also spoke with Rubio ahead of the talks, describing their conversation as “constructive.” According to a brief State Department statement, Rubio “underscored President Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace.”

Trump expressed optimism about the upcoming discussions, stating on Sunday that he anticipates “good results” from the Saudi-hosted negotiations. He also indicated that his administration is considering lifting the intelligence-sharing pause with Ukraine and is evaluating potential tariff adjustments on Russia.

“I want them to want peace,” Trump said, adding that Ukraine may sign a minerals agreement with the US. He suggested that positive developments could emerge from Saudi Arabia “in the near future.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Reports indicate that Moscow currently controls around 20% of Ukrainian territory.

WHY SAUDI ARABIA?
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry in a statement on Friday said the talks will be held in Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea. Jeddah has hosted other diplomatic engagements in the past and is home to royal palaces. The February 18 Russia-US talks took place in Riyadh, Saudi’s capital.

Traditionally known as a regional power focused on oil and security, Saudi Arabia has previously acted as a mediator in global conflicts, including brokering prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, hosting recent US-Russia discussions, and facilitating peace efforts in Sudan, Gaza, Iran, and Syria.

In September 2022, the kingdom helped negotiate the release of 10 foreign prisoners captured in Ukraine, including US and UK nationals. This move underscored Riyadh’s growing diplomatic influence and ability to act as a bridge between major global powers, including Moscow, Kyiv, Washington, and Beijing.