The US Will Value Ukraine's Attitude On Peace At A Meeting In Saudi Arabia Tomorrow

JAKARTA - United States officials plan to use a meeting with Ukrainian delegates in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to determine whether Kyiv is willing to give Russia material concessions to end the war, according to two US officials.

The US delegation will also be watching signs that Ukraine is seriously looking to improve relations with the US Government after a meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky turned into an argument last month, one official, who asked for his identity to be kept secret to review the closed talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will fly to Jeddah on Sunday for bilateral talks with Ukrainian officials, who will be led by Andriy Yermak, President's main aide to Zelensky. Foreign Minister Rubio is expected to join National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and President Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.

"You can't say 'I want peace,' and, 'I refuse to compromise on anything,'" said one US official on the upcoming negotiations.

"We want to see if Ukraine is not only interested in peace, but also realistic peace," another official said.

"If they are only interested in the 2014 or 2022 border, it tells you something," he added.

In a statement, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said President Zelensky had made progress in restoring US-Ukraine relations after his fierce meeting with President Trump on February 28.

He referred to President Trump's comments during his speech at the US Congress earlier last week, when he said he had received a memorandum of peace from the Ukrainian leader.

"With a meeting in Saudi Arabia next week, we hope to hear more positive movements that are expected to end this brutal war and bloodshed," Hughes said.

Witkoff said publicly earlier last week he hoped to discuss the "resilient" for the ceasefire and peace deals during the talks.

European ally Ukraine argues Kyiv can only sign a deal with Russia from a strong position and that Kyiv should not rush to the negotiating table with the aggressor.

Earlier, President Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not want peace, and Russia would attack other European countries if its invasion of Ukraine did not result in a clear defeat.

Last month, US officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh for separate bilateral discussions, most of which focused on rebuilding employment after freezing nearly completely on official contacts under former US President Joe Biden.

President Trump himself has expressed his frustration with Ukraine in recent weeks, saying the Eastern European country is running out of manpower and resources, and the country needs to immediately negotiate with Russia.

The Washington government has suspended arms shipments and some intelligence sharing with Kyiv in recent days, accusing Ukraine of not being open enough to a potential peace process.

On the other hand, critics say President Trump's move risks prolonging the war by strengthening Russia's position, making the country tend not to lay down arms and reach a fair peace agreement.