High-Stakes Diplomacy: U.S., Ukraine Eye Peace Path in Saudi Talks

U.S. officials plan to assess Ukraine's willingness to make concessions to Russia in Saudi Arabian talks while also mending relations after a heated meeting with Trump. Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads the U.S. team as discussions focus on achieving realistic peace and addressing a minerals agreement halted by tensions.

U.S. officials are preparing for high-stakes talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia, aiming to gauge Ukraine's readiness to concede to Russia in hopes of ending the ongoing war, according to insiders.

The meeting, led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also seeks to repair the strained relationship following a contentious encounter between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The discussions will assess Ukraine's interest in genuine peace and involve high-level delegates including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

The meeting's backdrop includes a minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine, previously derailed by diplomacy issues, with hopes now for renewed cooperation. Ahead of the talks, U.S. officials emphasize that any durable peace must not rush Kyiv into concessions that undercut its strength against Russian aggressions.

(With inputs from agencies.)