Zelenskyy’s Visit to Saudi Arabia: Key Diplomatic Moves for Peace Talks
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy will visit Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of peace talks regarding the war with Russia. US envoy Steve Witkoff is in discussions to form a peace agreement framework. Recent US-Russia talks, excluding Ukraine, ended without progress amid heightened tensions following disputes between Trump and Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday for discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This meeting aims to set the stage for talks among Ukrainian and American officials later in the week about achieving peace in Ukraine, with Zelenskyy expressing that Ukraine prioritizes this peace initiative.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed ongoing discussions with Ukraine to establish a framework for peace to conclude the three-year conflict with Russia, with a meeting scheduled next week in Saudi Arabia.
Recently, Saudi Arabia facilitated high-level discussions between US and Russian officials aimed at resolving the Ukraine war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz were involved in talks with Russian officials, although Ukraine was excluded from these discussions.
The diplomatic landscape was complicated following a tense meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House, which did not yield progress towards peace. Additionally, plans for a US-Ukraine agreement regarding rare earth minerals were hindered, leading to increased tensions after Trump accused Zelenskyy of not being fully committed to ending the conflict.
Consequently, the US government suspended all military and financial assistance to Ukraine and cut off intelligence support in reaction to the disagreements between the two leaders. Trump also indicated his intent to visit Saudi Arabia in the near future.
President Zelenskyy’s visit to Saudi Arabia underscores Ukraine’s commitment to peace as it seeks to engage with both Saudi officials and US counterparts in key discussions. The stakes are high as diplomatic efforts attempt to devise a strategy for ending the ongoing conflict with Russia amid escalating tensions between the countries involved.
Original Source: www.thenationalnews.com
