U.S. and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia next week to discuss the potential steps towards ending the conflict in Ukraine, following a week of U.S. actions that raised doubts about its support for Ukraine. Both Presidents Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky have confirmed the meeting, which comes after a heated exchange in the Oval Office where Trump criticized Zelensky for being ungrateful for U.S. aid and threatened to withdraw support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia. Since then, Zelensky has expressed regret and a willingness to negotiate a deal involving U.S. revenue sharing from Ukraine’s mineral resources. The proposed meeting, initially set for Tuesday, will involve military representatives from countries committed to enhancing security as part of the end-of-war framework. Discussions with Russian officials have taken place, but Russia has not committed to a ceasefire or agreement to stop the war. European leaders remain uncertain about their role in providing security to Ukraine if the U.S. were to withdraw support. The Trump administration has suspended military aid and intelligence sharing to pressure Ukraine to negotiate according to American terms. Steve Witcoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy to the Middle East, confirmed the negotiations in Saudi Arabia, stating that the aim is to establish a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire. Witcoff noted that Zelensky’s post-meeting comments, which praised Trump’s leadership, have improved Ukraine’s standing with the U.S. The Ukrainian leader wants guarantees from Russia, including no attacks on civilian infrastructure, a missile, bomb, and drone truce, and no military operations in the Black Sea. Russia has not publicly stated its willingness to accept a truce or end the war, but has shown openness to discussions. French President Macron has offered to deploy soldiers to Ukraine for “safety reasons” and has proposed forming a European peacekeeping force after the conflict ends. Trump also indicated progress in negotiations with both Ukraine and Russia, expressing optimism for an eventual peace agreement due to the pressures on both sides.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/us/politics/ukraine-zelensky-trump-russia.html