U.S. says Ukraine ‘ready to move forward’ on ceasefire talks

BBC reported the information.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz will meet Ukrainian officials on Tuesday, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also visiting Saudi Arabia but won’t formally join the talks.

“The fact that they're coming here at senior levels is a good indication to us that they want to sit down and they're ready to move forward,” the U.S. official said.

Zelenskyy, under U.S. pressure to negotiate, has insisted that Russia is the only obstacle to peace. “We have been seeking peace since the very first second of the war,” he wrote on social media. The Kremlin, however, questioned whether Ukraine truly wants a settlement.

Tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy escalated after a public clash at the White House, prompting the U.S. to pause military aid and intelligence sharing. Trump has also threatened additional sanctions on Russia, saying Moscow is “pounding” Ukraine on the battlefield.

In an attempt to mend ties, Zelenskyy reportedly sent Trump a letter of “apology” and “gratitude,” according to special envoy Steve Witkoff. The U.S. team in Saudi Arabia is expected to discuss a peace framework and a minerals deal, which would grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth reserves in exchange for security guarantees.