Ukrainian and U.S. delegations are set to meet in Jeddah on March 11 to discuss a potential peace agreement with Russia and negotiations on a critical minerals deal.
As part of its strategy, Kyiv is reportedly prepared to propose a partial ceasefire covering long-range drone and missile strikes, as well as hostilities in the Black Sea, in hopes that progress in talks will prompt Washington to lift its freeze on military and intelligence support.
Following President Volodymyr Zelensky’s heated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, Washington suspended all military aid to Ukraine, worth billions.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has confirmed that the U.S. had also halted intelligence sharing, potentially limiting Ukraine’s ability to detect Russian missile strikes and carry out long-range attacks.
Two European officials told the FT that Ukraine views making progress in ceasefire talks as a necessary step to regaining U.S. support.
A U.S. official told Reuters that the Jeddah meeting will serve as a test of Ukraine’s willingness to make concessions to Russia in pursuit of a peace accord.
Trump has told reporters that he expects Ukraine to sign the critical minerals deal with the U.S. but also wants to see signals that Kyiv is prepared for peace.
Zelensky and European leaders have repeatedly emphasized that security guarantees, including long-term U.S. support, must accompany any ceasefire agreement. Washington has not offered such assurances.
Following his Oval Office meeting with Trump, Zelensky struck a conciliatory tone, reaffirming Ukraine’s commitment to working with the U.S. toward a peace agreement.
Trump has privately made it clear to his aides that he will not resume providing military aid and intelligence to Ukraine even if Kyiv and Washington sign a minerals deal, NBC News has reported, citing an unnamed Trump administration official and another American official.
Trump wants to see a change in Zelensky’s stance toward peace talks with Russia and a willingness to make concessions such as giving up occupied territories to Russia, the sources told NBC News.
The U.S. president also reportedly wants Zelensky to make some steps toward elections in Ukraine and possibly step down.
It comes as Politico reported that Trump’s team has been leading secret talks with former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and another opposition leader, Yuliia Tymoshenko. The two opposition leaders reportedly tried to position themselves as more flexible partners for the U.S. than Zelensky.
