Ukraine partial ceasefire plan 'has promise', Rubio says ahead of talks

A senior U.S. diplomat stated that he believes some of the ceasefire proposals put forward by Ukraine to end the war with Russia are promising. This comes ahead of talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. These discussions are crucial for exploring potential pathways to de-escalate the conflict.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday: "I'm not saying that's enough on its own, but that's the kind of concession that needs to be seen in order to bring this conflict to an end." Kyiv is expected to propose an agreement with Russia on an air and sea truce during the negotiations in Jeddah. This initiative aims to establish a foundation for further diplomatic progress.

Russia has previously rejected the idea of a temporary ceasefire, calling it an attempt to buy time and prevent a Ukrainian military collapse. Meanwhile, the governor of the Moscow region stated that a "massive" overnight drone attack on Moscow and the capital region resulted in at least three deaths, with seven apartments damaged in a residential building. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that 74 drones flying into the city were shot down, and the roof of a building was damaged by drone debris. The increased drone activity underscores the escalating tensions in the region.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but he is not expected to play any formal role in the talks with the U.S. Zelenskyy said later on Monday in his video address that he hopes for "practical results" from the talks, adding that Ukraine's position will be "absolutely constructive." Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, the country's national security advisor, and several foreign and defense ministers will represent the Ukrainian team. Rubio will represent the U.S. delegation along with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. This high-level representation highlights the importance of the discussions.

Before arriving in Jeddah on Monday, Rubio said it was important to "make clear Ukraine's intentions for a peace agreement" and that the country "must be prepared to do some difficult things, just as the Russians must do some difficult things to end this war." He added: "I'm not going to set any conditions on what they have to do or need to do. We want to hear how far they're willing to go, and compare that to what the Russians want, and then see how big the gap is between us." He also stated that both sides need to realize that there is "no military solution" to this conflict and that it can only be resolved through "diplomatic means." Finding common ground is essential for achieving a lasting peace.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg and Axios news websites, citing unnamed sources, reported that Witkoff plans to meet with Russian President Putin in Moscow later this week. The Kremlin has not publicly commented on the matter. At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Zelenskyy to agree to a ceasefire with Moscow without any promise of U.S. security guarantees. The talks are the first formal meeting since Zelenskyy visited the White House last month and became embroiled in a heated argument. After a fierce clash in the Oval Office, the U.S. suspended military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv, apparently to bring Zelenskyy back to the negotiating table. These developments highlight the complex dynamics and pressures surrounding the peace process.

Rubio said he hopes the issue of suspended aid can be "worked out," but that Tuesday's talks "will be key." He said the suspension "was because we didn't think they (Ukraine) were committed to any kind of peace process" and that "if that changes, obviously our posture will change as well." He also stated: "The president is going to use every tool at his disposal to try to get both sides to the table so that we can end this war." President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff said earlier on Monday that he expects "substantial progress" during the negotiations. When asked if he thought Zelenskyy would return to the U.S. later this week to sign a minerals agreement, he told Fox News: "I'm really hopeful. All the signs are very, very positive." The resumption of aid hinges on progress in the peace talks.

Zelenskyy had previously stated that he was willing to sign a minerals agreement with the U.S. that would establish a joint fund from Ukrainian mineral sales. Witkoff said that the issues being discussed in Saudi Arabia include security agreements and territorial issues for the Ukrainians. He said the U.S. government has never stopped sharing any defensive intelligence that Ukraine needs, while Trump told Fox News on Sunday that he had "almost" canceled the suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Downing Street said Keir Starmer also spoke with Trump ahead of the talks. A spokeswoman said the British Prime Minister told Trump "he hoped the talks would achieve a positive outcome that would enable the restart of US aid and intelligence sharing." Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls about a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. These factors underscore the ongoing complexities and challenges in the region.