U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Jeddah for talks on resolving the pause in aid to Ukraine. He aims to understand Ukrainian concessions while emphasizing the need for both military and diplomatic actions. Discussions on Ukraine’s mineral resources are not the main agenda, although they may be addressed.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to engage in discussions with Ukrainian officials regarding the recent pause in U.S. aid to Ukraine. Rubio stated that the U.S. is adopting a listening approach in order to gauge potential concessions that Ukraine might be willing to consider. He emphasized that resolving the aid pause is of utmost importance and hinted that the outcomes of the upcoming talks would be pivotal in this context.
During his remarks, Rubio assured that Ukrainians are currently receiving defensive intelligence support, clarifying that it is crucial to find feasible concessions on Ukraine’s part. He firmly stated that there exists no military solution to the ongoing conflict and that both Russia and Ukraine must undertake significant measures towards resolution. In conjunction with these discussions, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Rubio in the port city of Jeddah on the same day. Earlier, MBS conducted a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh.
On the following day, Rubio is expected to join U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz for talks with the Ukrainian delegation, which includes high-ranking officials such as Zelenskyy’s chief of staff and the Foreign Minister. Zelenskyy emphasized in a recent social media message that achieving durable peace necessitates a combination of strong front-line positions and effective diplomacy.
Additionally, former President Donald Trump has expressed interest in making U.S. military aid contingent upon access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources, which are crucial for the U.S. economy and include valuable raw materials like lithium and uranium. However, Rubio clarified that obtaining a deal regarding these resources is not the primary objective of the Jeddah discussions, suggesting that a more specific agreement would take additional time to develop. He also acknowledged the positive contributions of Britain and France in supporting Ukraine during talks.
This trip marks Rubio’s second visit to Saudi Arabia since he took office. Following his discussions in Saudi Arabia, Rubio is scheduled to travel to Canada to attend meetings with G7 foreign ministers.
In summary, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Saudi Arabia aiming to resolve the pause in U.S. aid to Ukraine through discussions with Ukrainian officials. The U.S. seeks to understand potential concessions offering clarity to ongoing diplomatic efforts. While discussions on Ukraine’s mineral resources may arise, they are not the primary focus of the talks. This visit highlights international cooperation aimed at achieving lasting peace.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
