Ukraine will reportedly seek to secure the resumption of military and intelligence support during high-level negotiations with the U.S. scheduled this week in Saudi Arabia.
The Financial Times (FT) reported on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will try to convince U.S. President Donald Trump of his commitment to quickly end the conflict with Russia in an effort to regain crucial aid.
FT reported, citing sources involved in preparing for the negotiations, that Ukraine plans to propose a partial ceasefire. This would include Russia halting long-range drone and missile attacks and ceasing combat operations in the Black Sea. Ukraine hopes this move will lead to the resumption of U.S. weapons and intelligence support.
After a meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump at the White House on February 28 ended in failure, the U.S. took the drastic step of suspending military aid and intelligence sharing.
Since then, Ukraine has shifted its stance, prioritizing restoring relations with the U.S. Two anonymous European officials stated that progress has been made in the ceasefire negotiations.
Ukrainian MP Fedir Venislavskyi explained that while Ukraine previously prioritized security guarantees before pursuing a ceasefire, the focus has now shifted to mending ties with the U.S.
Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of parliament from Zelenskyy’s party, recently stated, “The primary objective of the Ukraine- U.S. negotiations in Saudi Arabia is to resume support.”
During his visit to Brussels on March 6, Zelenskyy told EU leaders that he would like to reach an agreement with the U.S. based on a framework that could lead to a more specific mineral agreement and security guarantees.
While Zelenskyy plans to visit Saudi Arabia, he will not directly participate in the negotiations. Instead, he is scheduled to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Ukrainian negotiating team reportedly includes Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff; Pavlo Palisa, deputy head; Andrii Sybiha, foreign minister; and Rustem Umerov, defense minister.
According to a State Department spokesperson, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will lead the American delegation, is expected to remain in Saudi Arabia until March 12 to advance Trump’s goal of ending the conflict.
