LONDON, March 10. /TASS/. Tomorrow, US and Ukrainian delegations are due to meet in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah for what could be a final opportunity for Kiev, as the United States may put more pressure on Ukraine if those fail, The Economist quoted Ukrainian officials as saying.
A senior Ukrainian security official told the magazine that he had seen no evidence that the United States was considering a complete withdrawal from Ukraine or Europe. The hope remains that "we’ll be on a more rational track again," he said.
Other Ukrainian officials are less optimistic. According to the magazine, the stakes of Tuesday’s talks "could not be higher" for Kiev, and Ukraine is "unlikely to get another chance," should they collapse. "The Americans will double down on instructional mode, and force whatever they and Russia decide on us," a Ukrainian official said.
As the United States and Ukraine prepare for what the magazine called "brutal negotiations," Kiev fears that the coming Jeddah meeting could be "a shake-down, a delaying tactic or an attempt by Mr. [US President Donald] Trump to win concessions that benefit Russia."
While Kiev wants to sign a framework for a minerals deal with Washington, it will also try to coordinate a framework for Trump to persuade Moscow to accept its terms. The Ukrainian delegation may also try to make its negotiating position clear to the Americans and push for security guarantees from them, the magazine wrote.
Earlier, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, said he was hoping to discuss a framework for ceasefire and a peace deal with Ukraine. Though Vladimir Zelensky has said he will not attend the meeting with America in Saudi Arabia on March 11, the Ukrainian delegation will include the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andrey Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga, and defense chief Rustem Umerov.