The United States’ top diplomat has expressed optimism about Ukraine’s proposal for a partial ceasefire with Russia, viewing it as a potential step toward ending the ongoing war. This statement comes just before scheduled discussions in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday between US and Ukrainian officials.
“I’m not saying that alone is enough, but it’s the kind of concession you would need to see in order to end the conflict,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday.
During the upcoming negotiations in Jeddah, Kyiv is expected to put forward a proposal for an aerial and naval ceasefire with Russia. However, Moscow has previously dismissed such ideas, arguing that any temporary truce would merely serve as a stalling tactic to prevent Ukraine’s military from collapsing.
In a separate event, at least three individuals lost their lives in what was described as a “massive” overnight drone assault on Moscow and its surrounding areas, according to Governor Andrei Vorobyev. The attack damaged seven apartments in a residential complex.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 74 drones aimed at the city were intercepted and shot down. He further stated that debris from a downed drone damaged the roof of one building.
The drone strike led to temporary disruptions in one of Moscow’s district train networks and imposed flight restrictions at the city’s airports.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, he is not expected to take a formal role in the negotiations between US and Ukrainian representatives.
In a video message late on Monday, Zelensky expressed his hopes for “a practical result” from the discussions, stating that Ukraine’s stance would be “absolutely constructive.”
The Ukrainian delegation at the talks will include Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, along with the country’s national security adviser and several foreign and defense ministers.
On the US side, Rubio will lead the delegation alongside National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Speaking before his arrival in Jeddah, Rubio emphasized the importance of clarifying Ukraine’s stance on a potential peace agreement. He noted that both sides must prepare for tough compromises if the conflict is to be resolved.
“I’m not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do,” he said. “We want to listen to see how far they’re willing to go, and compare that to what the Russians want, and then see how far apart we truly are.”
Rubio stressed that both Ukraine and Russia must acknowledge that “there’s no military solution” to the war and that diplomacy is the only viable path forward.
Meanwhile, reports from Bloomberg and Axios suggest that Witkoff is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow later this week, though the Kremlin has not officially commented on the matter.
The discussions in Jeddah coincide with increased pressure from US President Donald Trump on Zelensky to agree to a ceasefire with Russia. Notably, this push comes without any firm commitments from the US regarding security guarantees for Ukraine.
This meeting marks the first official encounter between US and Ukrainian officials since Zelensky’s contentious visit to the White House last month. That meeting reportedly ended in frustration, leading the US to suspend military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine—a move seen as an attempt to push Kyiv toward negotiations.
Rubio suggested that the suspension of aid could be reversed depending on the outcomes of Tuesday’s discussions.
“The pause came about because we felt that they [Ukraine] were not committed to any sort of peace process,” he explained. “If that changes, obviously our posture can change.”
He added, “The president is going to use whatever tools he has at his disposal to try to get both sides to that table so this war will end.”
Earlier on Monday, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism about the upcoming negotiations, saying he expected “substantial progress.”
When asked if he believed Zelensky would return to the US later in the week to sign a minerals agreement, Witkoff told Fox News, “I am really hopeful. All the signs are very, very positive.”
Zelensky has previously signaled willingness to sign a minerals deal with the US, which would create a joint fund derived from the sale of Ukrainian minerals.
According to Witkoff, the Saudi Arabia talks will cover multiple topics, including security protocols for Ukraine and territorial issues.
He emphasized that, despite the suspension of military aid, the US had not cut off intelligence sharing for any defensive needs that Ukraine might have. Trump also told Fox News on Sunday that he had “just about” lifted the intelligence-sharing freeze on Ukraine.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also spoke with Trump ahead of the Jeddah talks. According to a statement from Downing Street, Starmer conveyed that “he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable US aid and intelligence-sharing to be restarted.”
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls roughly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.