US Officials to Push Ukraine on Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia Meeting

Lots of talk and little action has been the story of the day, as a delegation of US officials made their way to Saudi Arabia for peace talks with Ukraine. On Tuesday, discussions between the US and Ukraine will take place with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and top Zelensky aide Andriy Yermak among the key players at the table. Kyiv is set to propose a ceasefire in the sea and sky during the truce meeting, a Ukrainian official says, as Trump tells reporters he believes the talks will result in "a lot of progress". On the flight over, Rubio suggested that the US hopes to resolve the military aid pause for Ukraine, but tempered expectations that a minerals deal - long considered a key condition for US involvement in a ceasefire - might be signed tomorrow.

U.S. officials will meet with Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, March 11, to assess whether Ukraine is open to negotiating an end to the war with Russia. The talks come amid strained relations between the Trump administration and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The U.S. delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, will meet with Ukrainian officials, though Zelenskyy will not attend.

America has demanded to know what Ukraine is prepared to give up to end the war with Russia. A high-stakes meeting is taking place in Saudi Arabia at which the US wants to know what Kyiv can offer on the road to peace. The move comes as relations between the White House and Kyiv slumped to their lowest point since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “We really want to sort of ascertain where they stand on this and what they’re willing to do in order to achieve peace."