President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, working to restore his strained relationship with the USA and safe a positive deal to finish the conflict with Russia, met on Monday with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Zelensky wrote on X that his discussions with Prince Mohammed, the de facto Saudi chief, who has sought to take a central position on the world’s diplomatic stage, had been “good” and that he was “grateful” for the crown prince’s “sensible perspective on international affairs and help for Ukraine.” Mr. Zelensky added that it was “particularly essential to listen to phrases of confidence in Ukraine’s future.”
Their assembly got here forward of talks deliberate for Tuesday between Ukrainian and U.S. officers within the oil-rich Gulf state.
Mr. Zelensky, who traveled to the seaside Saudi Arabian metropolis of Jeddah, wrote that he and the crown prince “had an in depth dialogue on the steps and circumstances wanted to finish the conflict and safe a dependable and lasting peace.”
Mr. Zelensky mentioned he had “particularly emphasised the problem of the discharge of prisoners and the return of our youngsters, which might turn into a key step in constructing belief in diplomatic efforts. A big a part of the dialogue was devoted to the codecs of safety ensures.” He didn’t provide specifics.
As soon as shunned internationally due to accusations of human rights abuses that he has denied, Prince Mohammed has positioned his nation as a intermediary in efforts to finish the conflict in Ukraine. Final yr, Saudi Arabia performed a pivotal position in a fancy U.S.-Russia prisoner swap, and President Trump has prompt it might be the location of a possible meeting between him and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
Final month, Mr. Zelensky postponed a visit to Saudi Arabia after it hosted an extraordinary meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, through which the 2 sides sought to reset their relationship and mentioned the conflict in Ukraine, with out Mr. Zelensky.
However on Saturday, Mr. Zelensky said on social media that he would go to Saudi Arabia, declaring that he was “decided to do all the things to finish this conflict with a simply and lasting peace.”
“Life like proposals are on the desk,” he wrote. “The secret is to maneuver shortly and successfully.”
Mr. Zelensky mentioned that he wouldn’t attend the talks on Tuesday with American officers, however that the Ukrainian delegation would come with the nation’s overseas and protection ministers, a prime navy official and his chief of workers.
Within the talks with U.S. officers, the Ukrainian delegation intends to boost its latest proposal for a direct cessation of air and sea strikes.
Ukraine has been cautious in framing its proposal because it seeks to clean over relations with the Trump administration after a dust-up between Mr. Zelensky and the American president final month within the Oval Office. Over the weekend, French and British officers coached the Ukrainian delegation about the way to discuss with the Individuals, a Ukrainian official with the delegation in Jeddah mentioned.
Ukraine needs the truce at sea and within the air, mentioned the official, who was not approved to talk publicly of the delegation’s plans and who prompt the provide will likely be posed as a query.
“We don’t know if the Russians are prepared for any steps to peace,” the official mentioned, including that the Ukrainians would ask if the Individuals had perception into Russia’s place on the proposal.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly mentioned that Mr. Zelensky doesn’t “have the playing cards” given Russia’s navy energy, and has all however demanded that Ukraine settle for diplomatic phrases set by the USA for a decision of the conflict. Nonetheless, there are indicators that Ukraine’s place on the battlefield is enhancing: Ukrainian troops have in recent months stalled a Russian offensive and in some locations received again small patches of land.
Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s particular envoy to the Center East, has mentioned that Mr. Zelensky’s deferential posture after the blowup within the White Home has improved Ukraine’s standing with American officers. Nonetheless, the U.S. has paused military support for Ukraine.
Mr. Zelensky wrote on Saturday that he was “totally dedicated to constructive dialogue” and that he hoped to “focus on and agree on the required selections and steps” throughout his go to to Saudi Arabia. Mr. Rubio will likely be in Jeddah for talks with Ukrainian officers from Monday by Wednesday, in accordance with the U.S. State Division, and met with Prince Mohammed after arriving on Monday night.
Following that assembly, the State Division mentioned that that they had mentioned the threats from Houthi militants in Yemen, the promotion of presidency stability in Syria and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Mr. Rubio additionally “reiterated the USA’ agency dedication that any resolution to the scenario in Gaza should not embrace any position for Hamas,” in accordance with Tammy Bruce, a State Division spokeswoman.
Mr. Trump’s place on Russia and Ukraine has generally been hard to pin down. On Friday, he mentioned on social media that he was considering significant sanctions on Russia to assist drive a peace deal on Ukraine. He demanded that the 2 nations “get to the desk proper now, earlier than it’s too late.”
Hours later, he told reporters on the White Home that he felt talks with Russia had been going properly and that he was “discovering it harder, frankly, to cope with Ukraine.”
For Prince Mohammed, performing as a mediator within the conflict is a chance to solidify his affect past the Center East. Saudi Arabia has averted taking sides within the battle and in August 2023, the dominion hosted a convention in Jeddah with representatives of greater than 40 nations to debate pathways to peace. Ukraine mentioned these consultations had been “fruitful,” however Russia, which had not been invited, was dismissive of the assembly.
Ismaeel Naar and Kaly Soto contributed reporting.
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