Ukraine will try to persuade the US to resume intelligence and military support in bilateral talks with high action this week by convincing Donald Trump that Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants a quick end of war with Russia.
Informed officials on preparations for negotiations in Saudi Arabia said KyIw was set to propose a partial ceasefire with Russia for long distances and rocket strikes and combat operations in the Black Sea, hoping that the advancement of the talks would lead to Washington to return his decision to raise the intelligence decision.
Ukrainian negotiators are traveling to Saudi Arabia on Monday after the first days without US support led to the country’s troops by renouncing Russian territory that captured last year in the Kursk region.
One Ukrainian official added that Kyiv would prioritize short -term by arranging his links with the US, while two European officials said this without progress in the ceasefire talks as a Quid Pro Quo to resume military aid and intelligence.
“The purpose of any negotiation between the Ukrainian and American authorities in Saudi Arabia will, in particular, agree on a resumption of aid,” said Fedir Venislavskiy, a Ukrainian MP from Zelenskyy’s party and a member of the National Parliament Security Committee last week.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be in the Saudi city of Jeddah from Monday to Wednesday for the talks, with a compilation of “advance the president’s intention to end the Russian-Ukraine war,” a spokesman said.
In comments on Fox News on Sunday, Trump did not mention bilateral talks directly, but said he was sure that a “valuable” mineral deal would soon be signed with Kyiv.
He dismissed the criticism that he had been relatively gentle against Moscow, which he threatened with sanctions last week after suspending help for Ukraine. “No one has been tougher to Russia than Donald Trump,” he said.
US pressure on Kyiv has forced Zelenskyy’s administration to move its position after a catastrophic meeting on February 28 at the White House.
“The tactics have changed,” said Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst based in Kyiv. “Now the most important (thing) is normalization of relations with the US and, if it would first take security guarantees and then push for ceasefire, now it is clear that it will not happen in that way.”
He added: “Trump says that Ukraine does not want a ceasefire, so the goal for us is to show the US that we are ready to act as soon as possible, and start direct negotiations with Russia.”
Zelenskyy told EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday that he wanted to hit a general framework agreement with the US that would pave the way for further agreements, more detailed on mineral resources and security guarantees.
The wider agreement would begin with a cessation of air strikes, sea operations and energy strikes and other civil infrastructure.
Would continue with the exchanges of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russian authorities, measures intended to build confidence between the two parties.
The Ukrainian President will fly to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet the crown prince Mohamed bin Salman, with Jeddah’s negotiations set to begin the next day.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Zelenskyy office, will lead the Ukrainian negotiating team with Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Minister of Defense Rustem Umarov and Deputy Head of President Pavlo Palisa also participating.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said Brussels and Kyiv were “working hard, very close together”.
While European officials say about 20 countries, led by the United Kingdom and France, have shown that they can form a “desired coalition” to support Ukraine after any ceasefire, Trump has so far refused to support us for such force.
The US president was angry last week when his Ukrainian counterpart suggested that a deal to end the war was still far away. “If someone doesn’t want to make a deal, that person won’t be too long,” Trump said afterwards.
But this has not given up on the US, taking a form of role in any ceasefire, according to European officials who have spoken to their Ukrainian counterparts before the talks.
They show that it may include, but not limited to the use of US satellites or signals intelligence for the truce verification.
NBC News reported US officials on Sunday to say that the mineral deal would not be enough for Trump to resume and divide intelligence. She added that the US president also wanted Zelenskyy to change his stay in peace talks, including concessions such as renunciation of territory in Russia, and heading to elections in Ukraine himself or even withdrawing as president.
“Ukraine has been seeking peace since the first second of this war,” Zelenskyy wrote on the X platform on Saturday. “Realistic proposals are on the table. Theelli is to move quickly and effectively. “
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said last week that “a kind of relief is absolutely unacceptable” without a “final solution”.
Additional reporting by Ben Hall in London
