KYIV: A Ukrainian team has arrived in Saudi Arabia for meetings in preparation for a possible visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky, a Ukrainian minister said Sunday, at a time of intense speculation over planned US-Russia talks in the kingdom to end Moscow’s war on its neighbour.
It also comes as a top US envoy said he and a fellow negotiator appointed by President Trump were heading to Saudi. Ukrainian economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who also serves as first deputy PM, didn’t clarify whether there is a link between Zelensky’s possible trip and the US-Russia talks. In a post, she said the Ukrainian team’s focus is on strengthening economic ties, as Kyiv “prepares to sign important economic agreements with countries in the region”.
Svyrydenko didn’t say anything about when Zelensky might go to Saudi and who he might meet with. Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Zelensky, said there was no possibility of Ukrainian and Russian officials meeting directly in the immediate future.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s close ally and special envoy to the Middle East, earlier said he and national security adviser Mike Waltz will be “having meetings at the direction of the president,” and hope to make “some really good progress with regard to Russia-Ukraine”. Witkoff didn’t directly respond to a question on whether Ukraine would have to give up a “significant portion” of its territory as part of any settlement.