Tue Mar 11 04:05:48 UTC 2025: ## Zelenskyy Seeks to Repair US Ties in Saudi Arabia Amidst Military Aid Uncertainty

**JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia—**Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, March 10, 2025, in a bid to mend fractured relations with the United States following a contentious Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump in late February. The meeting comes ahead of crucial talks between Ukrainian and U.S. officials in Jeddah on Tuesday.

The February meeting reportedly involved a heated argument, jeopardizing the flow of crucial military aid and intelligence previously provided by the U.S. to Ukraine. While President Zelenskyy himself will not be present at the Jeddah summit, a team including his chief of staff, foreign minister, and defense minister will represent Ukraine in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

Secretary Rubio stated that the U.S. aims to understand Ukraine’s willingness to engage in peace talks with Russia, acknowledging the immense suffering endured by the Ukrainian people. He emphasized a desire to listen to Ukraine’s position before comparing it to Russia’s and assessing the feasibility of a peace agreement.

The U.S. pause on sharing intelligence usable for offensive purposes by Ukraine remains in effect, although a White House official assured that defensive intelligence sharing continues uninterrupted. There is hope that the Saudi talks could lead to a resumption of full intelligence sharing.

Europe, meanwhile, remains sidelined and wary of the shift in the U.S. approach to the conflict. The European Union recently announced significant investments in continental defense in response. The situation remains tense as the outcome of the Jeddah talks will determine the future of U.S. support for Ukraine and the trajectory of the ongoing conflict.

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