The president has been in Saudi Arabia since Monday to meet N. on Tuesday there will be talks between Ukrainian and US officials that Washington hopes will make a substantial progress towards the end of the Ukraine War with Russia.
The United States, once the main ally of Ukraine, has overturned their conflict policy, in the context of their declared pursuit of rapid expiration of conflict, coming into direct contact with Moscow, while stopping military assistance and exchanging information on Ukraine.
Facing the White House’s new approach, Ukraine pushed for “realistic” relations after a devastating meeting at the Oval Office between Zelenski and US President Donald Trump.
To break the ‘ice’
Talks on Tuesday between US and Ukrainian officials are the first official meeting after Zelenski’s failed meeting with the White House and Trump’s envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkov said he had great hope.
“I think we are going there with the expectation that we will make real progress,” he told Fox News. Asked if he believes that Zelenski will return to the US to sign mine for minerals this week, Whitkov said: “I am really optimistic. All signs are very, very positive. “
Foreign Minister Marco Rubio kept a closer note, saying there are still details that need to be processed on the mineral agreement. He added that the talks could be successful without signing an agreement and stressed the need to measure Kiev’s readiness to make concessions to achieve peace.
Under the enormous pressure of Trump, Zelenski tried to show that Kiev is determined to end the war soon, despite the fact that he failed to win the US security guarantees that Kiev considers vital to any peace agreement.
Zelenski said he would not attend Tuesday’s talks with US officials, and the Ukrainian delegation would include the head of his staff, Foreign and Defense Ministers and a leading military official of the Presidential Administration.
“For our part, we are fully committed to the constructive dialogue and hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps,” Zelenski said in a post on X.
“Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively. “
US goals
US officials said they were planning to use the meeting partially to find out if Kiev is willing to make material concessions to Russia to end the war.
One American official said: “We want to see if the Ukrainians are interested not only in peace, but in a realistic peace.” Trump said on Sunday that he was expecting good results from the forthcoming talks, adding that Washington has “just” ended the suspension of information exchange with Kiev.
British Prime Minister Kir Starmer told Trump on Monday that he hopes that talks in Saudi Arabia would have a positive effect and allow Washington to end the cessation of US aid and information to Ukraine, his spokesman said.
Rubio said Ukraine is already receiving all US defense information. “The whole concept of cease help in general is something that I hope we can resolve … I think what will happen tomorrow will be the key to it,” he said.
Seeking the box for agreement
Whitkov, who has organized the talks, said the idea was to “set a framework for a peacekeeping deal and an initial truce”. Zelenski has called for a truce in the air and the sea, as well as the exchange of prisoners, in what he says could be a test of Russia’s commitment to end the war.
Moscow has rejected the idea of a temporary truce, which has also been proposed by Britain and France, saying it was an offer to save Kiev time and prevent its military collapse.
Zelenski said Kiev is ready to sign the US mineral agreement, which would set up a joint fund from the sale of Ukrainian minerals. Washington says it is vital to ensure continuous US support.
Conversations in the midst of bombing
With the US support, Zelenski has urged his European allies to increase their support, as Kiev’s position on the battlefield is deteriorating and facing increasing pressure to retreat from the Russian region.
The Ukrainian troops who invaded the Kursk area last summer are almost surrounded by Russian forces, as open source maps show. However, Kiev’s Supreme General Olchandr Sirski said on Monday that his troops in the Kursk region are not in danger of surroundings, despite the recent counterattack of the Russian forces in which they have also participated in the North Korean troops.
Russia holds about one -fifth of Ukraine territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and its troops are also pressing in the eastern area of Donetsk, increasing raids with unmanned aircraft and rockets in cities and town.
Russia has launched 1,200 air -headed bombs, nearly 870 offensive unmanned aircraft and more than 80 rockets against Ukraine only in the last week, Zelenski said.
