The first meeting ended badly, but now what is expected of the US-Ukrainian talks in Saudi Arabia?

Statements made by Trump last month referred to Kiev's perceived weak position in light of the battlefield advances by Russia and to a White House eager to end the three-year war.

Now, as Zelensky visits Saudi Arabia, where a Ukrainian negotiating team will hold high-level talks with American officials on March 11th over a possible Kiev peace agreement will be fully opened, writes Radio Free Europe.

“Ukrainian has the lowest letters on the table”, said Michael Fromman, president of the Council for Foreign Relations. “As Trump and his emissaries have made clear, Washington is not inclined to endlessly support Kiev”.

Since the crash at the White House in late February, Washington has increased pressure on Ukraine, suspending military aid and intelligence sharing. Also, an important US-Ukrainian mineral deal has remained unwritten.

Trump has expressed optimism for the talks, telling reporters that “I believe we will make a lot of progress this week”. Before traveling to Saudi Arabia, Zelensky said that “we will continue to work for peace sake”.

“ “What is Ukraine's red line, with the US and Russia? What American concessions is Trump willing to make, not just to reach any agreement, but an agreement that creates fair and lasting peace? ”.

Who will participate in the talks?

The one-day talks in Saudi Arabia will be the first talks between Ukrainian and American officials since Zelensky's tense visit to the White House.

They will also be held a month after American and Russian officials met in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, regarding the end of the war in Ukraine, with no presence of Kiev.

Ukrainian President on March 10th will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Ukrainian negotiating team will stay in the state to meet with American counterparts a day later. Kiev's delegation will include Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Andriy Syhbiza, and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.

US-Ukrainian talks will be held in the town of Gedda. The American negotiating team will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and will also include National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

Trump's envoy for the Middle East, Steve Whitoff, who participated in Riyadh's talks, was expected to participate. But reports now say he can travel to Qatar for talks concerning the fragile ceasefire at the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian group declared terrorist organisation by the US and the European Union.

What does the U.S. from Ukraine want in these talks?

Trump said Ukraine is running out of human powers and resources and must quickly sit at a negotiating table with Russia.

The focus of the talks on Gedda will be the assessment by US and Ukrainian officials what kind of peace process is possible.

Witkoff said last week that he hopes to be discussed for a <x0-currise” concerning a possible ceasefire and peace agreement.

American officials will also see where Kiev is willing to compromise. Since the launch of Ukraine's Russian occupation in 2022, Kiev has called for the return of its entire territory and the full withdrawal of Russian forces.

Statements made by Trump other American officials hinted that this stance is not viewed as realistic at the White House.

Sorting of steps in the peace process to reach an agreement could also be part of the talks, including issues like an early ceasefire to build trust, exchange of prisoners and, potentially, at a certain moment, hold elections in Ukraine.

Before the talks, Serhiy Lechenko, adviser to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, told reporters Kiev is preparing to accept a partial ceasefire that would cover air and sea attacks.

“A wants a truce, we are about”, he said on March 10th. “However, on the ground where [Russian president Vladimir] Putin will be able to accept a ceasefire for several months: treat the wounded, recruit infantry in North Korea and resume this” war.

In exchange for concessions from Ukraine, the Trump administration is looking to resume military assistance and sharing intelligence information.

Trump said on March 9th that the US “almost has completed suspending intelligence sharing with Ukraine, suggesting that sharing information can resume and be a positive result in Saudi Arabia.

Does Ukraine have any negotiating levers?

Zelensky has faced great pressure from the United States to make concessions before any peace talks and has requested strong security guarantees for Kiev, which he has so far declined.

Also, the fate of the mineral agreement between the United States and Ukraine is heavy on the meeting in Jeda. Kiev wants to include a clear US security guarantee in exchange for access to certain mineral sources in Ukraine, a request that has been rejected by Washington.

That agreement was suspended during Zelensky's visit to Washington, but both sides have voiced readiness to sign it. Before the upcoming talks, Trump said he thinks Ukraine will sign the agreement.

During a recently given interview, US special envoy Keith Kellogg suggested this may be Kiev's best option.

If the U.S. has direct economic interest in Ukraine, then the U.S. has also direct interest in protecting its economic interests that it serves, de facto... As a security guarantee for Ukraine”, he said.

What about Russia?

This time around, Russia will not be at the negotiating table in Saudi Arabia, but what Moscow is willing to give up if there is something there is a question that also burdens the US-Ukrainian meeting.

Zelensky has said Putin wants no peace and has stressed that the Russian leader has violated the ceasefire's preliminary agreements.

Ukraine's European allies have argued that Kiev could reach an agreement with Russia only by a position of force, and that Ukraine should not rush to sit at the negotiating table.

Despite these things, former director of the National Security Council for Russia, Thomas Graham, who served during President George W. Bush and still keeps in touch with officials in Moscow, said “Kremlin has not given up its maximum-ranking demands for the end of the” conflict.

Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine remain outside NATO, continues to demand that Ukrainian territories it has occupied, disarming Ukraine, and lifting Western sanctions on the Russian economy.

“Kremlin welcomes further sequenced steps that undermine Ukraine's position, such as the US decision to suspend arms shipments to Ukraine, which a Kremlin spokesman called the best contribution to peace cause”, Graham said.