(NewsNation) — Officials from Ukraine and the United States have gathered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss diplomatic cooperation and a potential “limited ceasefire” in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to officials.
It’s the first time the allied diplomats are sitting down face-to-face after an explosive Oval Office meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Feb. 28 left a rare minerals deal unsigned and international tensions on the rise.
Trump over the weekend was hopeful about the “big meetings” in Saudi Arabia, telling reporters on Air Force One: “A lot of people died this week, as you know, in Ukraine, not only Ukrainians, but Russians. So I think everybody wants to see it get done. We’re going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week.”
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Ukrainian officials told the Associated Press on Monday that they will propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea — which would bring safer shipping — as well as long-range missile strikes that have hit civilians in Ukraine and the release of prisoners.
The Kremlin has not publicly offered any concessions. Russia has said it is ready to cease hostilities on the condition that Ukraine drops its bid to join NATO and recognizes regions that Moscow occupies as Russian.
The two senior Ukrainian officials said Kyiv is also ready to sign an agreement with the U.S. on access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals — a deal that Trump is keen to secure.
Ukraine carries out massive drone attack on Russia
The meeting also comes on the heels of what appears to be the largest-ever Ukrainian drone attack on Russia.
Russian officials said overnight its air defenses shot down 337 Ukrainian drones over 10 Russian regions, killing at least two people and injuring another 18.
Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the attack.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz and other top officials will represent the U.S. at the meetings in Saudi Arabia.
Rubio has previously emphasized there is no military solution to the war, while Waltz has joined a growing chorus of Republicans who suggested Ukraine might be better off finding a new leader altogether.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
