Zelensky will meet with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia before we talk.

Ukrainian President Volodimia Zelensky was scheduled to meet Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday as he worked to repair tense relations with the US and secure a lucrative deal to end his own war with Russia.

meeting Between Zelensky and Prince Mohammed, the chief of Saudi Arabia, The Diplomatic Stage of the Worldahead of planned talks between Ukrainians and US authorities in the oil-rich Gulf province on Tuesday.

The Crown Prince, who once shunned internationally due to accusations of human rights abuses he denied, positioned his country as an intermediary in his efforts to end the Russian-Ukraine war. Last year, Saudi Arabia played a pivotal role in the complex US and Russian prisoner swaps, and President Trump has It suggested that it could be a possible meeting place Between him and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin.

Last month, Zelensky postponed a trip to Saudi Arabia after it was hosted by Saudi Arabia An extraordinary meeting Of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei V. Lavrov, both of them reset their relationship without Zelensky and discussed the war in Ukraine.

However, on Saturday, Zelensky I said it on social media He visited Saudi Arabia and declared that he was determined to do everything to end this war with a lasting and enduring peace.

“Ukraine has been seeking peace since the first seconds of this war,” he wrote of a full-scale conflict that began with the Russian invasion three years ago. “There are realistic suggestions on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively.”

Zelensky is under strong pressure from the Trump administration to agree to a peace deal, and he Readjust his message After Trump and Vice President JD Vance, he angeredly attacked him 10 days ago. Oval office About what they described as a lack of gratitude for US support.

Trump has repeatedly said that Zelensky “doesn’t have the card” given to Russian military power, demanding that Ukraine accept the diplomatic terms set by the US for a resolution to war. Still, there are signs that Ukraine’s position on the battlefield is improving: the Ukrainian military In recent months, it has stalled Russian attacks And in some places, they reclaimed small patches of the land.

Steve Witkov, the Trump administration’s special envoy to the Middle East, said the White House explosion was Zelensky’s prejudice after improving Ukraine’s position with American officials. Nevertheless, The US has suspended military support for Ukraine.

Zelensky wrote on Saturday that he was “fully committed to constructive dialogue,” and that he would “want to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and measures” during his visit to Saudi Arabia. Rubio was in the city of Jeddah, the seaside Saudi city for consultations with Ukrainian officials from Monday to Wednesday, and was expected to meet Prince Mohammed after arriving on Monday evening.

Trump’s position on Russia and Ukraine sometimes It’s difficult to fix. On Friday, he was on social media. Consider important sanctions Help Russia enforce peace agreements in Ukraine. He demanded that both countries “reach the table now before it’s too late.”

A few hours later, he He told reporters At the White House, he felt that his talk with Russia was on track and “frankly, he felt that it was even more difficult to deal with Ukraine.”