The president of Ukraine visits Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It takes place prior to negotiations between the United States and Ukrainian authorities. The goal of the negotiations is to put an end to the conflict with Moscow at a time when Kyiv’s position is becoming more vulnerable.
In its professed desire to put an immediate stop to the conflict, the United States has altered its wartime strategy. After Trump took office, Washington, which had previously been Ukraine’s top ally, started interacting openly with Moscow. The nation stopped providing Kyiv with military support and information exchanges.
It is anticipated that Zelenskiy will meet the crown prince, de-facto ruler, of Saudi Arabia. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Saudi Arabia has acted as a mediator in a number of ways. In February, Riyadh held meetings between Moscow and Washington while its efforts in previous months led to the prisoner swaps between the two sides of war.
A mutual minerals agreement is anticipated to be the main topic of discussion between American and Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday. They will also discuss how to put a stop to conflict. This will be the first official session since Zelenskiy and Donald Trump had a terrible confrontation in the White House.
Zelenskiy has made a concerted effort to demonstrate that they are in agreement despite intense criticism from Trump. He was unable to get U.S. security assurances, however, which Kyiv views as essential to any ceasefire agreement. For Trump, it is crucial to put a stop to the situation quickly.
Ukrainian president has stated that he won’t be present for the meetings with Americans on Tuesday. His chief of staff as well as ministers of defense and foreign policy are part of the Ukrainian team. The team also includes a senior military officer in the presidential office.
The Ukrainian president further emphasized that there are workable options available. The solution is to proceed efficiently and swiftly. In a post on social media, Zelenskiy asserted that “we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions.”
American Interests
According to Americans, they want to utilize the discussion with the Ukrainian side to ascertain Ukraine’s primary strategies. Their goal is to assess if Kyiv is prepared to give Moscow tangible commitments in order to put an end to the conflict. According to a U.S. source, the U.S. wants to know if the Ukrainian authorities would be keen in a practical peace as opposed to simply a ceasefire.
Trump stated a few days ago that he anticipated the next negotiations will yield positive outcomes. President Trump went on to say that the country has lifted its ban on exchanging intelligence with Ukraine. According to the White House special envoy, the goal is to establish a blueprint for a ceasefire deal.
Zelenskiy has demanded a prisoner swap and a ceasefire at waters and in the air. That may be an examination of the Russian will to stop the conflict, he argues. The proposal of a short-term ceasefire has been dismissed by Russia. According to Moscow, it is an attempt to give Kyiv some space to keep its forces from collapsing.
Additionally, Zelenskiy stated that Kyiv is prepared to strike a mining agreement with the United States. Through the trading of Ukrainian minerals, a shared fund would be established. Washington claims that this agreement is essential for maintaining U.S. support.
The president of Ukraine has been calling on his European peers to increase assistance with the United States’ backing in doubt. Kyiv is under greater strain to leave Russia’s Kursk territory as its combat situation deteriorates for its forces across the battlefield.
