Zelenskyy Confirms Ukraine Will Attend US Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia, 1 Week After Oval Office Clash

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that his team will engage in peace talks with their American counterparts in Saudi Arabia next week. The announcement follows last week’s tense Oval Office meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, which reportedly ended abruptly with Zelenskyy leaving the White House earlier than planned.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy shared, "Next Monday, I have a visit planned to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the Crown Prince. After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners. Ukraine is most interested in peace." He also addressed Trump directly in the post, reiterating Ukraine’s commitment to "working constructively for a swift and reliable peace." Well, it seems Zelenskyy is walking the diplomatic tightrope while juggling missiles overhead.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian opposition figures Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko confirmed separate talks with the U.S., denying any involvement in alleged plans to oust Zelenskyy. Poroshenko, who lost to Zelenskyy in 2019, maintained his stance against holding wartime elections, saying such decisions should wait until martial law is lifted.

Russia, in typical fashion, responded to the peace talks announcement with a "massive missile and drone" attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko shared the grim details on Facebook, reporting at least 10 injuries, including a child. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov justified the attack as targeting Ukraine’s "military industrial complex and weapons production." It's almost as if Russia has its own twisted definition of "peace talks."

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid during the ongoing war. Notable attacks include the destruction of one of Ukraine's largest power plants in April 2024 and a devastating grid assault in December of the same year. It's a grim reminder that for every step toward diplomacy, there's a setback in the form of destruction.

On Tuesday, Trump read a letter from Zelenskyy during a joint session of Congress. The letter emphasized Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate for lasting peace, stating, "Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians." Trump, however, has expressed doubts about Zelenskyy’s readiness for peace, accusing him of exploiting U.S. involvement for leverage in negotiations. "I don’t want advantage; I want PEACE," Trump declared on Truth Social following their heated encounter.

Zelenskyy, for his part, seems undeterred, doubling down on Ukraine’s desire for peace in his statement: "Ukraine is ready to pursue the path to peace, and it is Ukraine that strives for peace from the very first second of this war. The task is to force Russia to stop the war."