Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials are planning to meet next week to discuss the first steps of a deal that could seek an end to the war in Ukraine, after a week of U.S. moves casting doubt on its support for the country, The
New York Times reports.
Both President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine confirmed the meeting, which is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia.
The planned meeting was announced just under a week after an Oval Office blowup between the two men in which Mr. Trump attacked Mr. Zelensky as ungrateful for U.S. support and threatened to abandon Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion. Mr. Trump later paused all military aid to Ukraine.
Since then, Mr. Zelensky has expressed regret in general terms over how that meeting went, and both sides have showed willingness to sign a deal in which the United States would share in revenue from Ukraine’s mineral resources.
“Ukrainian and American teams have resumed work, and we hope that next week we will have a meaningful meeting,” Mr. Zelensky said in a statement on Thursday.
Mr. Zelensky said that Ukraine would send a delegation to meet with “military representatives of countries that are ready to make greater efforts to reliably guarantee security within the framework of ending this war.” He said the meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, but did not specify who would attend.
Russian officials met last month with top Trump officials in Saudi Arabia as Russia has signaled an openness to talks, though it has not said if it would accept a cease-fire or an agreement to end the war.
There remains significant doubt among European leaders as to whether they can serve as the ultimate security backstop for Ukraine if America abandons the war-torn country. The Trump administration suspended military assistance and intelligence sharing with Ukraine this week in a bid to pressure Kyiv to negotiate on its terms, although it has not outlined any specific peace plan.
Outside the White House on Thursday, Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy to the Middle East, told reporters that the negotiations would take place in Saudi Arabia.
“We are now in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or even potentially Jeddah; the city is moving around a little bit,” Mr. Witkoff said. He added, “The idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial cease-fire as well.”
Mr. Witkoff said Mr. Zelensky’s comments after the Oval Office showdown, praising the strength of Mr. Trump’s leadership, had helped Ukraine’s standing with America. Last Friday, Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance lectured the Ukrainian president for not showing enough gratitude for the United States’ more than $100 billion in military support.
“He felt that Zelensky’s letter is a very positive first step,” Mr. Witkoff said, adding: “President Zelensky has demonstrated that he’s intent on that good-faith path back. He’s apologized. He’s said he’s grateful. He said he wants to work toward peace.” Mr. Witkoff added that he believed Mr. Zelensky was willing to sign a minerals deal to create a U.S.-controlled fund that would receive revenue from Ukraine’s natural resources.
