Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Jeddah on Monday for talks with Ukrainian officials in hopes of resolving the pause in aid to Ukraine. The talks, scheduled for Tuesday, are expected to address the concessions that Ukraine may be willing to make in order to resume receiving aid from the United States.
Rubio stated that the U.S. is in a listening mode and aims to understand what Ukraine is willing to offer in return for aid. He also emphasized that the U.S. is committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and that there is no military solution.
The talks will be held in Jeddah, a significant location as it is home to one of the largest ports in the world and a major hub for trade and commerce. This meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah highlights the importance of the region in global affairs.
Prior to arriving in Jeddah, Rubio held a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, commonly known as MBS. MBS also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh earlier in the day. This shows the strong ties between Saudi Arabia and both the U.S. and Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Rubio will be joined by U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz for talks with Ukrainian officials. This comes as President Donald Trump pushes for a swift end to the conflict in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian delegation includes Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and military commander Pavlo Palisa. Their presence at the talks highlights their commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
In a social media post late Monday, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for both strong positions on the front line and strong diplomacy in order to achieve a just and lasting peace.
There have been discussions about Trump’s interest in making continued military aid conditional on access to Ukraine’s raw materials. Ukraine has large deposits of minerals such as uranium, lithium, and titanium, which are considered critical to the U.S. economy and national defense.
Rubio clarified that while securing a deal on Ukraine’s mineral resources is an important topic, it is not the main focus of Tuesday’s talks. He also stated that there is still more details to work out and that a specific agreement will take time to be finalized.
He also credited Britain and France for playing a constructive role in talks with Ukraine. However, there have been no discussions about China playing a role in postwar peacekeeping and reconstruction in Ukraine.
This is Rubio’s second visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office. He and other senior U.S. officials held talks with Russian officials in Riyadh on February 18. After the talks in Jeddah, Rubio is scheduled to travel to Canada on Wednesday for meetings with G7 foreign ministers.
In conclusion, the talks in Jeddah between U.S. and Ukrainian officials are a crucial step towards finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. The commitment shown by both sides to engage in constructive dialogue is a positive sign for the future. With strong diplomacy and a commitment to finding common ground, it is hoped that a just and lasting peace can be achieved in Ukraine.
