Ukraine-Russia War Latest: Zelensky meets Saudi officials like Kyiv to push air and sea ceasefire to US-led conversations

NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte said the group’s support for Ukraine is “unshakable” after a meeting in Sarajevo on Monday.

“Important to be in Sarajevo today. #Nato remains firmly engaged in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of [Ukraine]. Political leadership is the key to further progress and stability. NATO’s support is unwavering, ”he said at X.

Volodymyr Zelensky has begun to meet with Saudi officials after affecting Jeddah this afternoon.

Zelensky met with Deputy Governor of the Makkah region Prince Prince Saudi bin Misshal bin Abdulaziz, prior to his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Sulman later today.

The Ukrainian President’s visit comes in front of peace talks in the United States -Ukraine, but he will not be part of these meetings – they will be led by his chief of staff and HT US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Sir Keir Stormmer has spoken to Donald Trump prior to conversations in Saudi Arabia about a peace deal to end the Ukraine war.

A spokesman for Downing Street said: “The prime minister spoke with President Trump ahead of the US Ukraine -dialogue in Saudi Arabia.

“The Prime Minister said the British officials had spoken to Ukraine officials over the weekend and that they remain obliged to a lasting peace.

“The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive result for the conversations that would allow American help and intelligence to be restarted.”

Volodymyr Zelensky has landed in Jeddah in front of the Peace talks between Ukraine and the United States tomorrow.

The Ukrainian president does not lead his country’s delegation at the negotiations – it is the job of his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, together with Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

They meet with US team led by US State Secretary Marco Rubio after a “constructive call” between Rubio and Sybiha on Friday.

Both sides hope to find an appointment to end the war, but the negotiations come after a tense couple of weeks of US-Ukrainian connections after a not a bad meeting in the White House between Donald Trump, his vice president JD Vance and Zelensky.

Ukraine’s military says it has hit two Russian oil refineries in the last two days, in what it described as a strategic hit on Russian supplies.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces said in a translated post on social media that they hit an oil refinery in the Ryazan region, and the next day hit a refinery in the Samara region.

Staff Post said the Ryazan plant produced 840,000 tonnes of high quality jet fuel, but details of the actual damage were clarified.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his hopes for peace today prior to conversations between American and Ukrainian officials about a potential peace agreement tomorrow.

Zelensky was on his way to Saudi -Arabia today prior to tomorrow’s conversations in Jeddah to meet with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

In a post on X, Zelensky wrote: “Ukraine has sought peace since the very first second of the war, and we have always said that the only reason it continues is Russia.

“I am grateful for any unity and every brigade that defends Ukraine’s positions, ensures the destruction of the residents and does everything to give our country the strength needed to bring peace closer.”

The United States expects significant progress in conversations with Ukraine this week and hopes that an agreement on critical minerals can be signed, President Donald Trump’s Middle East -emerging Steve Witkoff said on Monday. American dealers were to meet with Ukrainians this week in Saudi Arabia.

“I think we are going over there with the expectation that we will make significant progress,” Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News.

When asked about he thought that Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky would return to the United States to sign a mineral agreement this week, Witkoff said, “I’m really hopeful. All signs are very, very positive. “

Witkoff said that among important things on the table will be security protocols for Ukrainians and territorial questions.

Intelligence sharing will also be discussed at this week’s meetings, Witkoff told Fox News just before traveling to the Middle East for conversations about Gaza. However, he said the United States never closed the intelligence of anything defensively that Ukrainians needed.

With Russia struggling to achieve gains in the eastern part of Ukraine, the sudden attack in the Kursk region looks like a coordinated feature between the Kremlin and the White House, World Ages Editor Sam Kiley Reports from Kyiv.

Intelligence sharing will be part of tomorrow’s peace talks between the United States and Ukraine, said Donald Trump’s Mideast -Release Steve Witkoff.

The United States also hopes that a critical mineral agreement can be signed during the negotiations in Saudi Arabia, Witkoff said, while the addition of the United States expects significant progress to the summit.

When he talked about Fox News just before traveling to the negotiations, Witkoff said intelligence sharing will form some of the discussions. However, he said the United States never closed the intelligence of anything defensively that Ukrainians needed.