What to expect from Saudi Arabia talks: key issues, potential compromises

He spoke about this on Espreso TV.

In particular, he believes that the Ukrainian side will raise the issue of resuming U.S. assistance and providing intelligence data to Ukraine. In his view, this issue should take precedence over other discussions that participants have been preparing for.

“The same Marco Rubio, through the U.S. State Department press service, said he was going to promote Trump’s peace plan, without specifying its details. However, it is clear from anonymous sources attributed to White House and State Department officials that Washington’s primary concern is how ready Ukraine is to restore cooperation with the U.S. When you hear ‘restore,’ understand it as ‘Washington’s demands for Kyiv to follow the course set by Washington.’ That is the first key point. The second is how much Kyiv wants peace, which, in essence, means how far Kyiv is willing to make concessions, which inevitably leads to the question of territory. And here we run into the position taken by the Kremlin—that is, recognition of the situation on the ground,” he said.

The diplomat reminded that Russia’s demand is to eliminate what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict.

“Kremlin officials have made it clear they will not agree to a ceasefire unless it is part of a comprehensive plan. And in that plan, the issue of ‘root causes’ must be addressed. Addressing these so-called root causes takes us back to the events of 2021. This means pushing NATO back to the 1991 borders, establishing Ukraine’s neutral status, and disarming Ukraine. It also includes what Russia calls the ‘real situation on the ground’—which is part of their demand to resolve the root causes. This extends to an ultimatum to the U.S. to withdraw its military units from Romania and NATO forces from the Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and so on,” Bezsmertnyi noted.

According to him, the discussions will involve not just Ukraine, but also NATO, Europe, and the U.S. He believes that the answer to the situation can be found in the European Council’s decision, which consists of five points.

“I’ll start with the last point, which states: ‘Peace must respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.’ This means there is no way back—not just because Ukraine’s negotiators cannot violate international law and the Ukrainian Constitution, but also because it is self-evident. Ukraine will not and cannot negotiate away its territory because doing so would be a crime.

Now, what about Europe? Europe has clearly stated that no decisions should be made without its involvement. This aligns with Ukraine’s position that no agreements concerning Ukraine should be made without Ukraine’s participation. Therefore, the European and Ukrainian positions are synchronized.

The key question is how to transition from a ceasefire to a dialogue that could lead to a peace agreement. The answer, as articulated by the Ukrainian side with Washington’s backing, is: ‘Peace through strength.’ President Zelenskyy has made it clear that diplomatic mechanisms work only when there is a strong position on the front line,” the diplomat emphasized.

Bezsmertnyi believes that the initial discussions in Riyadh between the Ukrainian and American sides will be based on fundamental principles approved by the European Council, which align with Ukraine’s constitutional position. From there, the focus will be on developing a joint stance between Washington and Kyiv.

He also shared his thoughts on possible compromises:

“Compromises could involve the timeline and conditions under which Russian forces leave Ukraine—including Crimea and occupied Donbas—and how Ukraine’s reconstruction will be funded by the aggressor after their expulsion. In my view, this is the position Ukraine will take in these negotiations.

However, I do have concerns that the U.S. might push Ukraine into territorial concessions. Forgive me, but deep down, I understand that Donald Trump and his circle might be tempted to orchestrate a Munich-style agreement. But Ukraine is not Czechoslovakia in 1938, Europe today is not the Europe of 1938, and the U.S. remains as it is—struggling with isolationism,” the politician added.

He emphasized that the meeting is important for normalizing dialogue between Kyiv and Washington.

What is known about the talks in Saudi Arabia

The Ukrainian delegation, together with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, arrived in Saudi Arabia for negotiations with representatives of the United States.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi announced that in Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian, and American delegations will discuss bilateral relations, strategic partnership, and the path to peace.

Meanwhile, the U.S. plans to use the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation to assess whether Ukraine is willing to make material concessions to Russia in exchange for ending the war.