Zelensky to visit S. Arabia on March 10, his team to stay for talks with U.S. delegation

MOSCOW. March 7 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday, March 10, for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, after which the Ukrainian delegation will meet with a delegation from the United States, Ukrainian media outlets cited Zelensky as saying in a statement on social media.

U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy to the Middle East Steven Witkoff said earlier that U.S.-Ukraine negotiations would take place in Riyadh or Jeddah on Tuesday, March 11.

Apart from Witkoff, the U.S. delegation to the meeting will include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Head of the President's Office Andrei Yermak will lead the Ukrainian delegation.

Zelensky initially planned to visit Saudi Arabia on February 18-19. Since Riyadh was then hosting Russia-U.S. negotiations, Zelensky moved his visit to March.

Axios correspondent Barak Ravid cited Witkoff as saying that U.S. and Ukrainian delegations would discuss the possibility of reaching an initial ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, according to reports from Washington.

"Witkoff confirmed that the meeting [...] will focus on getting an initial ceasefire and a framework for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine," Ravid said on social media.

In turn, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia confirmed on Friday the meeting between representatives of the United States and Ukraine on the Ukraine conflict will take place in Jeddah next week, .

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes on behalf of Saudi Arabia the planned meeting between the United States and Ukraine," the ministry said on X.

The meeting will take place in Jeddah, it said.