Volodymyr Zelenskyy Arrives in Saudi Arabia for US-Ukraine Summit – wna24

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, just hours before his top officials are set to hold crucial talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The visit comes at a pivotal moment for Ukraine, as Zelenskyy’s team seeks to repair relations with Washington after a tense Oval Office exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on February 28. The dispute has raised concerns over continued American military and intelligence support for Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion.

The summit, set for Tuesday in Jeddah, will bring together senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials to discuss the future of military aid and the possibility of peace talks with Russia.

Zelenskyy will not attend the summit himself, but his delegation—led by Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov—will represent Ukraine. Rubio will head the U.S. team, alongside National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

Speaking to reporters aboard his flight, Rubio made it clear that Washington wants to gauge Ukraine’s willingness to engage in peace negotiations.

“What we want to know is, are they interested in entering some sort of peace conversation and general outlines of the kinds of things they could consider, recognizing that it has been a costly and bloody war for the Ukrainians,” Rubio said. “They have suffered greatly and their people have suffered greatly.”

While emphasizing that he would not dictate terms, Rubio suggested that a breakthrough could push the Trump administration to accelerate efforts toward a negotiated settlement.

“I’m not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do. I think we want to listen to see how far they’re willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want and see how far apart we truly are,” he added.

Zelenskyy’s arrival in Saudi Arabia underscores the shifting diplomatic landscape, with the U.S. taking the lead in shaping Ukraine’s path forward while European allies remain on the sidelines.

The meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, scheduled for after sunset to accommodate the Ramadan fast, signals Kyiv’s efforts to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia, a key regional player with influence over global diplomatic and economic affairs.

For now, the focus remains on Tuesday’s summit and whether it will produce a path toward continued U.S. support—or an eventual push for peace talks.