Ukraine-US talks on ending war with Russia start in Saudi Arabia as Kyiv launches huge drone attack

Senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday to discuss how to end Moscow's three-year war against Kyiv. The talks came hours after Russian air defenses shot down 343 Ukrainian drones in what appeared to be the largest single attack since the Kremlin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This meeting underscores the international effort to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict.

According to officials, the massive drone attack affected 10 regions of Russia, leaving 3 people dead and 18 injured, including 3 children. Concurrently, the Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia launched 126 "Shahed" and other types of drones, as well as a ballistic missile, at Ukraine on Tuesday as part of Moscow’s continued bombardment of civilian areas during the war. The scale of these attacks highlights the intensity and widespread nature of the conflict.

In Jeddah, a Red Sea port city in Saudi Arabia, reporters were briefly ushered into a room where a high-level Ukrainian delegation was meeting with top U.S. diplomats to discuss ending what has become Europe’s largest conflict since World War II. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio smiled at the cameras and, when asked about his expectations for the meeting, gave a thumbs up and replied, "Very good." The presence of high-ranking officials indicates the seriousness of the discussions.

The meeting was held in a luxurious hotel, where Ukrainian officials, including the country's top diplomats and defense minister, sat across the table with somber expressions. Neither Ukrainian nor U.S. officials immediately commented on the drone attacks. However, Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak, who also attended the talks, told reporters that the most important thing was "how to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine." He stated that security guarantees were crucial to prevent future Russian invasions. These statements reveal the key priorities for Ukraine in the peace negotiations.

The Jeddah meeting reportedly offered an opportunity for Kyiv officials to mend relations between Ukraine and the United States, following an unprecedented argument during Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit to the White House on February 28. Critically, Ukraine needs to persuade Washington to end the U.S. suspension of military aid and partial intelligence sharing. U.S. officials have suggested that a positive outcome from the Jeddah talks could mean the suspension is only temporary. Restoring this support is essential for Ukraine's defense capabilities.

Ukrainian officials revealed they would propose a ceasefire in the Black Sea region, which would allow for safer shipping and limit long-range missile attacks, while also calling for the release of prisoners of war. Furthermore, Kyiv is prepared to sign an agreement with the U.S. regarding access to Ukrainian rare earth minerals, an agreement that U.S. President Trump is very interested in. En route to Jeddah, Rubio stated that the U.S. delegation would not propose any specific measures to secure an end to the conflict, but rather hoped to hear from Ukraine about what they would be willing to consider. These proposals indicate Ukraine's willingness to negotiate on multiple fronts.

The Kremlin has not publicly offered any concessions. Russia has stated it is prepared to halt hostilities if Ukraine abandons its efforts to join NATO and recognizes Moscow’s occupation of Ukrainian territory as Russian territory. Since the start of the war, Russia has seized nearly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. Russian forces have maintained battlefield initiative for more than a year, albeit at a high cost in infantry and armor, and are advancing in selected locations along the 1,000-kilometer front line, particularly in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, against understaffed and weary Ukrainian troops. Russia's demands remain a significant obstacle to any potential peace agreement.

Ukraine has heavily invested in developing its military-industrial complex, particularly high-tech drones capable of striking deep inside Russia. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that most of the Ukrainian drones launched overnight—126 of them—were shot down in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine, parts of which are controlled by Kyiv’s forces, and 91 were shot down in the Moscow region. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that more than 70 drones attacked the Russian capital and were shot down as they flew toward the capital, the largest such attack on Moscow so far in the war. Moscow region Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said the attacks damaged several residential buildings and some cars. Flights were temporarily restricted at six airports outside Moscow, including Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky, as well as airports in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions. The increasing drone warfare highlights the escalating nature of the conflict.