Over the weekend, Ukraine came under a blistering assault from Moscow’s forces. On Sunday alone, Russian forces retook three settlements in Kursk, the Russian region where Kyiv seized 500 square miles in August.
The Kremlin has claimed to have captured villages to the north and south of Sudzha, a town held by Ukraine in Kursk, in an attempt to encircle several thousand soldiers stationed there.
President Trump told reporters on Air Force One he had “just about” lifted a block on intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
America cut off military assistance and intelligence sharing to Kyiv last week after President Zelensky’s calamitous visit to Washington.
A senior Ukrainian official told AFP news agency on Monday that Russia would enjoy a “significant advantage” on the battlefield if the America’s pause on intelligence sharing lasts “a long time”.
Kyiv will reportedly propose an aerial and naval truce with Russia during talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
“We do have a proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and ceasefire at sea, because these are the ceasefire options that are easy to install and to monitor and it’s possible to start with them,” an unnamed Ukrainian official told AFP on Monday.
President Zelensky previously supported the idea of a sea and air truce, saying it would be a chance to test Moscow’s commitment to end the three-year war.
Zelensky will not take part in the direct talks between Kyiv and Washington, and will instead be represented by a delegation including his chief of staff, his foreign and defence ministers and a top military official in the presidential administration.
In an address on Sunday night, before his meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Zelensky said Ukraine was “fully committed to constructive dialogue”, but wants its interests to be “taken into account in the right way”.
“We hope for results, both in terms of bringing peace closer and continuing support,” he said. “Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively.”
President Zelensky is expected to meet Saudi Arabia’s crown prince today ahead of the first high-level talks between Ukrainian and American officials since last month’s disastrous Oval Office encounter.
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state
ALEX BRANDON/AP
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, will lead the American delegation for discussions in Jeddah as Washington seeks “to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire”, according to Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East envoy.
Witkoff will join Rubio in Saudi Arabia along with Mike Waltz, the US national security adviser.