Zelenskyy Meets Saudi Crown Prince Ahead of Critical Ukraine-US Talks Amidst Shifting US Stance

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Saudi Arabia on Monday, March 10, to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before critical upcoming talks between Ukrainian and US officials aimed at ending the ongoing conflict with Russia. The current situation marks a delicate juncture for Kyiv, following significant changes in US policy toward Ukraine.

The United States, previously Ukraine's main supporter, has fundamentally shifted its wartime strategy by directly engaging Moscow and halting military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. This policy shift comes as the US administration emphasizes a swift end to the prolonged hostilities involving Ukraine and Russia.

Saudi Arabia, under the guidance of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has previously served as a mediator on various occasions since Russia's invasion in 2022. Notably, Riyadh was instrumental in facilitating prisoner swap agreements and earlier hosted direct negotiations between Russian and American representatives.

Tuesday's planned discussions between US and Ukrainian officials will be the first official exchange since an earlier challenging encounter between Zelenskyy and former US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The talks are expected to focus primarily on bilateral mineral agreements and strategic steps for achieving peace with Russia.

Zelenskyy has faced intense pressure from Trump, who has emphasized rapidly ending the conflict. Despite failing to secure concrete US guarantees for Ukraine's security—something Kyiv views as essential for any lasting peace deal—Zelenskyy continues efforts to demonstrate alignment with the US stance.

President Zelenskyy will not participate personally in the Tuesday meetings. Instead, Ukraine will be represented by a high-level delegation, including Zelenskyy's chief of staff, foreign and defense ministers, and a senior military official from the presidential administration. In a recent statement, Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine's commitment to constructive dialogue, emphasizing the importance of prompt and practical decision-making on realistic proposals.

According to US sources, the upcoming meeting is intended to assess Kyiv's genuine willingness to accept significant compromises with Moscow toward ending the war. American officials underscored the necessity for realistic peace efforts, noting that declaring a desire for peace without agreeing to any concessions would not suffice. Former President Trump also conveyed optimism about the outcome of the negotiations, and suggested the possibility of resuming intelligence collaboration with Kyiv.