Pope Francis records audio greeting from hospital thanking people for their prayers
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says talks with US delegations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine to take place in Saudi Arabia next week.
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Just one week ago, the world witnessed an unprecedented debacle unfold in the White House as US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy were gripped in a heated argument.
The meeting between the two leaders ended with no breakthrough on any peace efforts. A US-Ukraine rare earths deal was also scheduled to be signed at the meeting, but was postponed after White House officials reportedly asked Zelenskyy to abruptly leave.
Tensions continued to soar in the days that followed, as Trump continued to hold the position that Zelenskyy is not serious about achieving peace.
The new Washington administration also announced suspensions in all military and financial aid as well as US intelligence to Kyiv in the wake of the Trump-Zelenskyy row.
But things may be taking a turn for the better as the Ukrainian leader announced on Thursday on his official Telegram channel that he will be meeting with US officials soon to resume the interrupted peace talks.
The talks are expected to take place early next week in Saudi Arabia. Zelenskyy – who called the public Oval Office spat 'regrettable – will meet the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Monday, after which meetings with US officials will take place.
'Next week, on Monday, I am scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to meet with the Crown Prince. After that, my team will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with American partners. Ukraine is most interested in peace.'
'As we told President Trump, Ukraine is working and will work exclusively constructively for a quick and reliable peace,' added Zelenskyy in a statement on Telegram.
US Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will be traveling to Saudi Arabia to represent Trump at the talks. Witkoff says discussions are taking place with Ukrainian officials to coordinate a meeting.
'We are now in discussion to coordinate a meeting with Ukrainian in Riyadh or even potentially Jeddah,' Witkoff told reporters outside the White House.
'I think the idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well'.
Witkoff also said that the talks are being arranged after US officials were given a reason to believe that Ukraine is now finally serious to engage in meaningful peace negotiations.
'President Zelenskyy sent a letter to the president (Trump). I think the president thought that it was a really good, positive first step,' noted Witkoff.
'There was an apology. There was an acknowledgement that the United Sates has done so much for the country of Ukraine, and a sense of gratitude. I think that's the biggest deal, right?'
US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce echoed the same message in a press briefing, adding that Zelenskyy showed an understanding of what's at stake, and noting that only one person can bring those parties – Zelenskyy and Russia's President Putin – to the negotiating table, Donald Trump.
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Trump also briefly commented on the ongoing developments. In an Oval Office briefing, Trump says the Ukraine wants to make a deal because they 'don't have a choice'. He added that Russia also wants to make a deal because in a 'certain different way, that only I know, only I know, they have no choice either'. Trump offered no further elaborations as to what the Kremlin's motive may be.
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