Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that talks on ending the Ukraine war will resume in the Saudi capital next week.
Zelensky confirmed his participation in the upcoming talks on Monday and said his team will stay on to hold talks with US officials.
“I am scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to meet with the Crown Prince. After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with American partners. Ukraine is most interested in peace,” Zelensky said.
Diplomats from both the US and Ukraine are trying to mend fences after a recent feud involving Zelensky-Tump and Vice President JD Vance during this past week.
The US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said he is in discussions to resume talks next week and that they will most likely take place in Saudi Arabia.
Addressing a media gathering on Thursday, he said, "President Zelensky sent a letter to the president. I think that the president thought that it was a really good, positive first step."
He said these talks aim to lay the groundwork for both a ceasefire with Russia and a peace agreement, along with securing the rare earth mineral deal.
Reports also said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz may also join the discussions. Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, will reportedly attend as well.
President Zelensky wrote on social media that he will travel to Saudi Arabia to meet Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. He said his team will stay on to work with the US delegation and that they are "interested in peace."
In response to the diplomatic spillover with Zelensky, US President Donald Trump revoked all security guarantees from Ukraine, calling Zelensky an ungrateful man and accusing him of risking World War III.
In addition to that move, the head of the CIA said officials are no longer sharing crucial intelligence with leaders in Kiev as Washington has ceased all intel and cyber ops against Moscow to finalise the peace deal.
Follow us
