US‑Ukraine talks in Saudi seek breakthrough on minerals
Negotiations between the USA and Ukraine are set to take place on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. The White House special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, hopes to reach an agreement on resources.
The United States anticipates substantial progress in the discussions with the Ukrainian delegation and hopes to finalize an agreement on "critical minerals," stated White House special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, in an interview with Fox News.
When asked if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington to sign this agreement within the week, he responded: - I am really hopeful. All the signs are very, very positive.
A disagreement arose during a prior meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump at the White House, during which Donald Trump and J.D. Vance accused the Ukrainian president of not showing sufficient gratitude for the assistance provided by the United States. Zelensky's visit concluded with Trump expelling the Ukrainian delegation, terminating the discussions, and cancelling the scheduled press conference.
Negotiations in Saudi Arabia
Talks between representatives of Ukraine and the USA are due to occur on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. The Ukrainian delegation will include, among others, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiha, and the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz will represent the US.
As reported by Reuters, the discussions will also address topics concerning the provision of American intelligence data to Ukraine and security assurances for its citizens. Witkoff emphasized that the USA has never halted intelligence cooperation with Ukraine about its defence needs.
US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States has almost ended the suspension of intelligence information exchange with Ukraine. Trump expressed optimism about achieving a positive outcome from the talks in Saudi Arabia.
The meeting in Saudi Arabia will follow a format similar to previous US-Russian talks, albeit without the Russian side's participation this time.
Significantly, last Monday, Washington declared the suspension of military support for Ukraine, and two days later, suspended intelligence aid.
The former CIA chief, John Brennan, criticized the suspension of intelligence aid, calling it a tactic used in rackets and extortion. Brennan stressed that intelligence aid has never been withheld for political advantage throughout his professional career.
