US and Ukraine hold Jeddah talks after major drone attack on Russia

Ukrainian and U.S. officials held crucial behind-the-scenes talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, seeking a path to end the war with Russia, following Ukraine's largest drone attack on Moscow yet and escalating tensions on the battlefield.

Ukrainian and U.S. officials engaged in intense behind-the-scenes talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, aiming to find a way to end the ongoing war with Russia. This comes after Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Moscow to date, further escalating the conflict.

The closed-door discussions were closely watched by both Ukrainians and their international allies, especially after President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent tense interactions with U.S. President Donald Trump. Under Trump’s leadership, U.S. policy on the war has shifted, putting pressure on Ukraine by withholding military aid and intelligence support, while also declining to offer security guarantees for any peace agreement.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, en route to the talks, stressed the importance of gauging Ukraine’s willingness to make concessions for peace. Three hours into the meeting, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz reported progress, telling reporters, “We’re getting there.” Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, described the talks as “very constructive” from the start.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a strong Kyiv ally, expressed hope that the talks would result in a resumption of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged both sides to seize the opportunity, stating, “The whole world is watching.”

Drone Attack on Moscow

As diplomacy continues, Ukraine’s forces are facing intense pressure on the battlefield, especially in Russia’s Kursk region, where Moscow’s forces are pushing to dislodge Ukrainian troops. In a bold move, Ukraine launched its largest drone strike on Moscow, with 337 drones downed. The attack killed three people and caused brief disruptions at Moscow’s airports, marking a significant retaliatory blow following a Russian missile attack that killed 14 Ukrainians.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for striking an oil refinery near Moscow and a facility in Russia’s Oryol region. In response, Hungary reported a suspension of crude oil shipments through Russia's Druzhba pipeline.

Peace Talks and Concessions

Ahead of the talks, Zelensky proposed a potential truce with Russia, aimed at testing Moscow's willingness to end the war. He suggested that a temporary pause in fighting, both in the air and at sea, could serve as an initial step towards peace. However, Zelensky’s recent clash with Trump has left Kyiv's security guarantees in limbo, and an essential minerals deal with the U.S. is yet to be finalized.

Ukrainian officials have stressed that security guarantees remain a top priority, though they indicated that discussions on this issue would be preliminary during Tuesday's talks. While Zelensky met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia on Monday, he was not present for the talks themselves.

Territory and Future Negotiations

Ukraine’s European allies argue that peace talks should only happen from a position of strength, urging Kyiv not to rush into negotiations with an aggressor. Zelensky has consistently stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in peace and has warned that Russia could expand its aggression into other European nations if Ukraine is not decisively defeated.

Senator Marco Rubio refrained from specifying the concessions that each side would need to make, but hinted that Ukraine may struggle to reclaim all of its lost territory. Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and continues to advance in the Donetsk region.

Earlier in the year, U.S. and Russian officials met in Jeddah to discuss ways to restore strained diplomatic ties, marking a rare encounter between the former Cold War adversaries.

The world is watching as these talks unfold, with both sides aware that the future of Ukraine—and perhaps broader European security—hinges on the outcome of these critical discussions.

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