Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated before the talks in Saudi Arabia that his country is looking for peace.
He wrote on social media that Russia is the “only reason” the war is still going on.
“Ukraine has been looking for peace since the first second of this war,” said Zelensky, traveling to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A day later, a Ukrainian delegation will speak with American diplomats in that country about an end to the war and a raw materials deal between the two countries.
American Secretary of State Marco Rubio is coming to Jeddah, among others. Zelensky himself says he will not be present at those talks.
US President Donald Trump has accused Zelensky of not wanting peace after their row in the White House. The Americans now want to determine whether Kyiv is prepared for a “realistic” solution in Saudi Arabia. “You can’t say ‘I want peace’ and ‘I refuse to compromise’,” a US official told Reuters news agency.