Zelenskyy arrives in Saudi Arabia for high-level meetings

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of crucial talks between Ukrainian and US officials. The visit comes at a time when Ukraine is under increasing military pressure from Russia and is seeking renewed international support.

Accompanying Zelenskyy on the trip were Andrii Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office, his deputy Pavlo Palisa, as well as Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defence Minister Rustem Umierov. Their flight, which lasted four hours and 38 minutes, traveled over Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Egypt before landing in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Jeddah on March 9 for bilateral talks with the Ukrainian delegation led by Andrii Yermak. He is expected to be joined by US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Witkoff stated that the United States expects significant progress in the talks scheduled for March 11, suggesting a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts as it continues to fight against Russian aggression.