Top officials from Ukraine and the United States are meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss possible ways to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not attend the meeting, but he was in Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Ukraine will be represented by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Presidential Office Chief Andrii Yermak, and Deputy Chief Pavlo Pallisa.

On the US side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and special envoy Steve Witkoff will participate. Witkoff has also been involved in talks about the Gaza-Israel conflict.

Ukraine recently supported a proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron for a limited ceasefire, focusing on stopping airstrikes and naval attacks. However, Russia rejected this idea. Ukraine also wants to exchange all prisoners with Russia as a first step in peace negotiations.

Meanwhile, the US is pushing for a full ceasefire and elections in Ukraine.

Ukraine has been fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion for over three years with support from Western countries. However, relations between Ukraine and the US have become tense.

On February 28, during a meeting at the White House, US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelensky, calling him ungrateful. As a result, Washington paused arms deliveries to Ukraine and limited its access to intelligence reports.

Trump is also pushing for a minerals deal with Ukraine, but Zelensky insists that Ukraine needs security guarantees before making any agreements.

The outcome of the Saudi Arabia talks remains uncertain, but both sides are looking for ways to move forward in the ongoing war.