Ukraine will present the United States on Tuesday with a plan for a partial ceasefire with Russia, hoping to restore support from its key benefactor, which under President Donald Trump has demanded concessions to end the three-year war.
The talks in Saudi Arabia come as Russia has ramped up attacks against Ukraine and Kyiv has hit back, including with an overnight attack on Moscow involving dozens of drones, the city’s mayor said Tuesday.
The meeting will be the most senior since a disastrous White House visit last month when Trump berated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky for purported ingratitude.
Since Trump’s dressing down of Zelensky, Washington has suspended military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing and access to satellite imagery in a bid to force it to the negotiating table.
Zelensky, who wrote a repentant letter to Trump, flew to the port city of Jeddah to meet Saudi rulers, but was leaving the talks to three top aides.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will be joined by Trump’s national security advisor Mike Waltz, said the aid suspension was “something I hope we can resolve” in the talks on Tuesday.
“Hopefully, we’ll have a good meeting and good news to report,” Rubio said.
