U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine Hinges on Progress in Saudi Talks, Rubio Says

Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials have arrived in Saudi Arabia for a crucial meeting that could determine whether Washington resumes military and intelligence support for Kyiv, The Washington Post reported, citing U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 10

Rubio is leading the U.S. delegation and he signaled that a shift in policy is possible if Ukraine commits to a peace process.

“My hope is we’ll have a really good meeting tomorrow and be in a different place,” Rubio told reporters as he landed in Jeddah.

The talks come amid heightened tensions following the Trump administration’s decision to suspend military aid, a move that stunned Kyiv and unsettled European allies.

Rubio explained that the suspension occurred because “we felt the Ukrainians were not committed” to negotiations, but suggested that a strong outcome from this meeting could lead to a reversal.

Ukraine’s delegation is led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, accompanied by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and deputy presidential office head Pavlo Palisa. U.S. participants include National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington views Ukraine’s high-level presence as “a good indication” of its willingness to move forward.

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War in Ukraine

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The agenda is expected to include Ukraine’s proposal for a ceasefire at sea and restrictions on long-range strikes. Kyiv is also pushing for a prisoner exchange and is open to signing an agreement on rare earth minerals with the U.S.

Rubio noted that the U.S. still hopes to finalize a deal on rare earth metals, though he admitted that the details “are not yet fully worked out.”

However, the most contentious issue remains Ukraine’s territorial integrity. According to reports from The New York Times, Rubio stated that Ukraine would need to make concessions regarding regions Russia has occupied since 2014 as part of any peace agreement—an idea Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

Earlier, reports emerged that Britain was advising Ukraine on handling peace talks with the United States as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares ahead of negotiations with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia.

The move comes as the UK also seeks to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to resume intelligence sharing with Kyiv following an abrupt cutoff that could hinder Ukraine’s defenses against Russian attacks.