Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky worked to repair his tensions with the United States and obtain a favorable deal to end his country’s war with Russia, and is scheduled to meet on Monday with Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman.
The meeting between Mr. Zelensky and Prince Mohammed is the de facto Saudi leader who is trying to play a central role in the world diplomacy stage, planning a meeting between Ukraine Island and U.S. officials at the oil-rich Gulf State University on Tuesday.
The crown prince, who once shunned internationally for denying allegations of human rights violations, positioned his country as a middleman to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. Saudi Arabia played a key role in the complex U.S.-Russian prisoner exchange last year, which President Trump suggested could be the location of a possible meeting between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Last month, Mr. Zelensky delayed his trip to Saudi Arabia after a remarkable meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian colleague Sergey V. Lavrov, both sides attempted to reset their relationship and fought the war in Ukraine without Zelensky.
But on Saturday, Mr. Zelensky said on social media that he would visit Saudi Arabia, declaring that he was “decided to do everything he could to end the war with a just and lasting peace”.
“From the first second of this war, Ukraine has been seeking peace,” he wrote, a full-scale conflict began with a Russian invasion three years ago. “Realistic advice is on the table. The key is to move quickly and efficiently.”
Mr Zelensky added that he would not attend talks with U.S. officials, but the Ukrainian delegation would include the country’s foreign and defense ministers, senior military officials and the president’s chief of staff.
Mr. Zelensky is under great pressure from the Trump administration to agree to a peace deal, and after 10 days after Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance angrily attacked him in the Oval Office 10 days ago, he seemed to have readjusted for what we said was a lack of gratitude for our support.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly stated that Mr. Zelensky did not “own the card” in view of Russia’s military strength and almost required Ukraine to accept the US diplomatic clause for the war resolution. Nevertheless, there are signs that Ukraine’s position on the battlefield is improving: Ukrainian troops have been trapped in Russian offensive in recent months, and in some places, the Ukrainian troops have won a small piece of land.
Mr. Zelensky’s loyalty posture after the White House blast has improved the status of Ukrainian and U.S. officials, said Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy in the Middle East. Despite this, the United States stopped its military support for Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky wrote on Saturday that he was “fully committed to constructive dialogue” and that he hoped to “discuss and discuss the necessary decisions and steps” during his visit to Saudi Arabia. According to the U.S. State Department, Mr. Rubio will hold talks with Ukrainian officials from Monday to Wednesday and will meet with Prince Mohammed on Monday night.
Mr. Trump’s position in Russia and Ukraine is sometimes difficult to determine. He said on social media on Friday that he was considering major sanctions on Russia to help reach a peace deal against Ukraine. He asked both countries to “reach the table before it’s too late.”
Hours later, he told White House reporters that he felt the conversation with Russia was going well and that he “found it more difficult to deal with Ukraine.”
