In a major diplomatic development, the United States and Ukraine have commenced high-stakes talks in Saudi Arabia, signaling a potential shift in the trajectory of the ongoing war with Russia. The discussions, held in Jeddah on Tuesday, come as Kyiv seeks to mend strained relations with Washington and secure the resumption of military aid and intelligence-sharing.
The Ukrainian delegation, led by Andriy Yermak, a top aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has presented a proposal for a partial ceasefire. The plan includes a mutual agreement between Ukraine and Russia to halt long-range drone and missile strikes, refrain from attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure, and suspend military activities in the Black Sea.
“The meeting with the US team started in a very constructive manner. We’re working towards a just and lasting peace,” Yermak said via Telegram.
US-Ukraine Relations Under Pressure
Tensions between Kyiv and Washington have escalated in recent weeks, with the US pausing military assistance and intelligence-sharing, both of which Ukraine heavily relies on to target Russian positions beyond the frontline. Washington postponed the signing of a minerals deal and placed a hold on all military aid following a contentious meeting between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Yermak emphasized Ukraine’s need for security guarantees from the US to prevent further aggression from Russia. “The security guarantee is important because we never want this aggression to be repeated,” he stated.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict Escalates
As the diplomatic negotiations unfold, both Ukrainian and Russian forces have launched fresh attacks on each other’s territories. Moscow was targeted by 91 drones, marking one of the largest drone assaults on the Russian capital since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Also, Ukraine reported missile and drone strikes on multiple regions overnight, with 126 kamikaze drones launched by Russian forces in a continued assault.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Russian soil killed two people and injured 14 others, according to Russian authorities. The Russian defense ministry also reported 337 unmanned aerial vehicles crossing into its airspace, though officials claim their air defenses intercepted all of them.
On the eve of the talks, senior US officials hinted at the possibility that Ukraine may have to cede some territory to Russia as part of a negotiated peace deal.
“The Russians can’t conquer all of Ukraine, and obviously, it’ll be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to sort of force the Russians back all the way to where they were in 2014,” US Senator Marco Rubio stated.
Joining the US delegation are Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser, and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman but is not directly participating in the talks with the US.
Amid the diplomatic discussions, intelligence-sharing remains a contentious issue. US envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News that intelligence-sharing would be discussed but denied that Washington had stopped providing intelligence for defensive operations. He also claimed Zelenskyy had apologized for his prior dispute with President Trump.
While Ukraine remains open to negotiations, it remains unclear whether Russia would agree to the proposed ceasefire terms. With ongoing attacks and shifting geopolitical alliances, the war continues to evolve in unpredictable ways.
As talks continue, the world watches closely to see if this diplomatic effort will pave the way for de-escalation—or if the conflict will intensify further.
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