Overview

• Ukrainian and U.S. delegations met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss potential pathways to end the war with Russia, but no concrete agreements were reached.
• The U.S., represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasized the need for Ukrainian territorial concessions as part of any peace framework, a stance that has drawn criticism from Kyiv and European observers.
• Ukraine seeks robust security guarantees, continued sanctions on Russia, and the use of frozen Russian assets to support its recovery as prerequisites for any agreement.
• The relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine has deteriorated significantly under President Donald Trump, who has suspended military aid and intelligence sharing, demanding concessions from Kyiv before resuming support.
• Russian forces continue to make gains in Ukraine's east, while President Putin shows no willingness to negotiate, further complicating the prospects for a durable peace agreement.