At 11:00 on March 11, a meeting of the Ukrainian and American delegations began in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The meeting is being attended by the Head of the Presidential Office Andrii Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa from the Ukrainian side. The American side is being attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US National Security Advisor Michael Volz. As of now, the second round of talks has begun.
Trump’s team does not want to see Zelensky
According to The Economist, at the talks in Saudi Arabia on March 11, Ukraine will make it clear to the US that any future peace agreement that limits Ukraine’s defense capabilities, forces Ukraine to legally recognize occupied territory, or contains attempts to interfere in Ukraine’s domestic politics, such as demands regarding elections, will be unacceptable to Kiev. At the same time, Ukraine is ready to propose the idea of a ceasefire.
Despite the resentment of Zelensky’s team for not being invited to the previous meeting in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian representatives predictably arrived at today’s talks in Jeddah at an astronomical speed. Remembering the failure in Washington, Ukrainian media are broadcasting the course of this event much more softly this time, clarifying that one should not place special hopes on it, because it is obvious that this meeting will not be the last. The fact that Zelensky will not meet with US representatives also testifies to the fact that the importance of today’s talks in Jeddah should not be exaggerated.
In this regard, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that there will be no such contact, because the Ukrainian president “is not part” of the negotiations between the Ukrainian and US delegations. It is difficult to imagine a clearer emphasis on the fact that Trump’s team does not want to see Zelensky personally. Zelensky himself is aware of this and is ready to play by these rules with great patience: it is critically important for him to restore the provision of US intelligence to Ukraine and resume the operation of American weapons. This issue, along with guarantees and mineral resources, will be the top three topics in the negotiations. Zelensky recently wrote that Ukraine is ready for a truce at sea and in the air. However, given that the Russian side will not be at this round of negotiations, there will be no agreement on the details of the truce.
Trump sincerely advocates a quick truce for a number of reasons, one of which is China
In the Russian-Ukrainian war, one of the key questions is what is more important: the issue of time or the content of the conditions under which the war will end? Obviously, the mood of all parties is different. Ukraine has already rejected the prospect of a quick end to the war several times, contrary to common sense, while Trump sincerely advocates a quick truce for a number of reasons, one of which is China: the Asian region is so important for cooperation that the American leader is eager to focus on this issue. Of course, in conjunction with Russia.
The New York Times recently wrote that for Trump, Ukraine is a bargaining chip and Ukraine should not be offended by this: the Chinese factor is taking over. And the Russian one too: Trump is attracted by the prospects of joint oil production at the North Pole, which is estimated to generate revenue of 300 billion US dollars. Ukraine is beginning to understand this and is extending the logical chain to the assertion that it is pointless to dream of a pro-Ukrainian position by Trump: it is illogical, irrational and unfair, given the number of Ukrainian corruption scandals related to financial aid from abroad.
