U.S. administration officials at talks with the Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia intend to determine whether Ukraine is ready to make concessions to Russia toward ending the war.
This was reported by Reuters, citing sources in the U.S. government, Ukrinform saw.
One of the agency’s interlocutors said in the context of the upcoming negotiations: “You can’t say ‘I want peace’ and ‘I refuse to compromise on anything.'”
“We want to see if the Ukrainians are interested not just in peace, but in a realistic peace,” one of the officials said, as per Reuters. “If they are only interested in 2014 or 2022 borders, that tells you something.”
It is noted that the United States delegation will also try to find out whether the Ukrainian side is willing to improve relations with the Donald Trump administration after the Trump-Zelensky spat in the Oval Office in order to make a decision on preparing for talks between the two leaders behind closed doors.
As expected, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Presidential Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, will travel to Jeddah for talks with the Ukrainian delegation led by the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office chief Andriy Yermak.
Trump has already expressed optimism about the talks. “We’re going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week,” he told reporters accompanying him on board Air Force One.
The head of the White House and U.S. officials have previously repeatedly stressed that both Ukraine and Russia will have to make concessions to end the war, and have threatened pressure if the parties failed to come to terms.
In turn, Zelensky said Ukraine did not refuse to explore possible compromises. In contrast, Putin and his regime officials insist they will make no concessions, pursuing their maximalist goals in the war, which involve the actual destruction of Ukraine and the Ukrainian nation.
As Ukrinform reported, Volodymyr Zelensky informed that Ukraine will be represented at the meeting with the American side in Saudi Arabia by the head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, his deputy Pavlo Palisa, Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The Head of State also expressed confidence the meeting of the Ukrainian and American delegations in Jeddah would be productive.
Photo: SBU
Source: U.S. at talks in Saudi Arabia to assess Ukraine's readiness for concessions - media
