Ukraine is set to present a plan for a partial ceasefire with Russia to the United States on Tuesday, aiming to regain support from its key ally. This development comes as the U.S., under President Donald Trump, has indicated that it will seek concessions from Ukraine to help resolve the ongoing three-year conflict.


The discussions, taking place in the Saudi port city of Jeddah, are happening amid increased attacks from Russia. In a significant response, Ukraine launched a large-scale operation involving over 330 drones targeting Moscow and other regions.


The upcoming meeting is notable as it's the first senior-level conversation between U.S. and Ukrainian officials since a contentious White House visit last month. During that visit, President Trump publicly criticized Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky over perceived ingratitude.


In the wake of this criticism, the U.S. has paused military aid and scaled back intelligence sharing, as part of efforts to push Ukraine toward negotiations. In a show of commitment, Zelensky had sent a letter to Trump expressing his willingness to cooperate. While he attended initial talks in Jeddah with Saudi leaders, he left the discussions in the hands of three top aides.


U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by Trump's national security advisor Mike Waltz, stated that resolving the aid suspension is a priority for the talks. “Hopefully, we’ll have a fruitful meeting and some positive news to share,” Rubio noted. He clarified that while military intelligence sharing has been paused, support for Ukraine’s defensive operations has not been completely severed.


During the previous White House visit, Zelensky did not sign an agreement that would have allowed U.S. access to portions of Ukraine's mineral wealth as compensation for earlier military assistance, although he has indicated a willingness to consider it in the future. Rubio mentioned that this issue will not be the primary focus of Tuesday’s discussions.


The situation continues to escalate, with Russia intensifying its offensive and reclaiming territories in the Kursk region that had previously been captured by Ukrainian forces, further complicating the ongoing negotiations.