Zelenskyy's Saudi Visit Precedes Critical US Peace Talks :

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Saudi Arabia to confer with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, preceding talks in Ukraine involving American officials, which seek to discuss the ongoing war with Russia during a particularly sensitive time for Kyiv,61 , . America, once a staunch advocate of Ukraine, has dramatically altered its policies in Ukraine, seeking instead to resolve disputes with Russia and, subsequently, halting military and intelligence support for Kiev. Saudi Arabia has intervened in the Russian-Ukraine war on multiple fronts, through providing aid in the form of a prisoners exchange program and even facilitating the US and Russia discussions last month, making it useful for Salman to speak with Zelenskyy attending the talks. These discussions will take place on the backdrop of the first US and Ukrainian meeting, post the Zelenskyy and Trump debacle set in the White House. The pair of leaders will focus their attention of US and Japanese collaboration over minerals and seek solutions to the ongoing war. Ukraine has been bearing the burnt of Trump’s irrational requests, pleading Zelenskyy to facilitate peace talks which have been idealized for a long time. In return for cooperating, faint promises of US security assurances were given, something critical for Kyiv for any sort of further peace agreements.

Zelenskyy claims that he won’t engage in discussions with the US representatives, while the Ukrainian delegation will have his chief of staff, foreign and defence ministers, as well as a senior military officer in the presidential administration.

"From our part, there's no doubt we are ready to converse constructively and hope to listen and come to an agreement on the decisions and steps that must be taken," Zelenskyy expressed in a message on X.

“The important thing is to act fast and efficiently.”“Realistic proposals are on the table.”

FRAMEWORK FOR AN AGREEMENT

Witkoff, Trump's special envoy who has been preparing the talks, claimed the aim was to "establish the basic elements for a peace treaty and accompanying it, an elementary ceasefire."

Zelenskyy has proposed both an aerial and naval pause and a swap of captives, which he believes could gauge Russia's willingness to stop fighting.

Moscow has dismissed the suggestion of a pause which has adorned Britain and France, calling it a centrist attempt to provide time for Ukraine and avoid the devastation of its military.

The US insisted on it for receiving support and it was vital for ensuring ongoing US assistance. Ukrainian Leader said that the US has agreed to establish a cooperative program that will manage the earnings from the sale of Ukrainian materials, which Kyiv is now ready to accept. Kyiv’s minerals agreement deal is in the works. There have been shifts in US support. Zelenskyy has been attempting to urge Europe to increase their assistance as Kyiv is attempting to battle the frequent need to retreat from the Russian’s Kursk region, which is very strategically important. With open source maps, Russian forces are surrounding the Ukrainian forces which advanced into Kursk in the summer. Loose and open maps show these things. Since 2014, Russia claimed one of Ukraine’s major territories, Crimea, which is a beautiful region bordering the sea and is often referred to as the jewel of Ukraine, and at this point, there is fighting going on in the eastern regions of Ukraine. They recently stepped up their drone and missile strikes on the towns located away from the frontline region. Having annexed over one fifth of Ukraine’s territory alongside Crimea, Russia is using increasing military force on other eastern regions, particularly Donetsk. Zelenskyy reported that Putin has struck Ukraine with roughly 870 attack drones, over 1200 aerial guided bombs, and more than eighty missiles in one week alone.