US and Ukrainian negotiators are preparing to meet in Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday, reports Al Arabiya, and RT.
His remarks follow a public rift between Trump and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, whom Trump accused of refusing to seek peace with Russia.
“We are discussing a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or possibly Jeddah,” Witkoff said. “The goal is to outline a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire.”
Zelensky confirmed on X that he would meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, after which his team would remain in Saudi Arabia to work with US officials.
Axios reported that the talks could take place on Wednesday, involving Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andrey Yermak.
The meeting follows a heated exchange in the Oval Office last week, where Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three” and said he lacked the leverage to negotiate. Trump, who called Zelensky’s attitude “disrespectful,” has since paused military aid and intelligence sharing.
Zelensky later called the argument “regrettable” and suggested a limited truce and a prisoner exchange with Russia. “We want to move quickly through the next stages and work with the US on a strong final deal,” he wrote on X on Tuesday.
Trump has shifted away from the previous administration’s strategy of isolating Russia, opting instead for direct talks with Moscow. Russian and US negotiators met in Riyadh on February 18 for the first time in three years. Zelensky canceled his planned visit to Saudi Arabia that month, saying he wanted to avoid any overlap with discussions he did not authorize.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Moscow was analyzing reports of the planned US-Ukraine meeting. Russia previously welcomed the resumption of direct US talks as a step toward normalizing relations.
Moscow has blamed Kiev for the collapse of peace talks in 2022, accusing Ukraine of making unrealistic demands. Russia insists Ukraine must abandon NATO aspirations, adopt neutrality, and recognize Crimea and four other former Ukrainian regions as part of Russia.
Al Arabiya published that US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he plans to travel to Saudi Arabia in the next month and a half.
“I have a great relationship with them, and they’ve been very nice. But they’re going to be spending a lot of money [on] American companies for buying military equipment and other things,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
