In a forced detente: what the United States persuaded Ukraine to do in Jeddah
The United States has stated that Ukraine is ready to resolve the conflict and agrees to an immediate 30-day truce, but it needs the approval of the Russian side. This was announced by representatives of the American delegation following a meeting in Jeddah on March 11. At the same time, Kiev's desire to move towards ending the conflict calls into question the UAV attack on Moscow, which became the most massive and claimed the lives of three people. The attack only confirms the Ukrainian side's unpreparedness for either a real ceasefire or peace, Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of the Federation Council, told Izvestia. Zelensky's regime is only interested in continuing the fighting, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador Rodion Miroshnik also believes.
Damage to an apartment building on Domodedovo Street as a result of an unmanned aerial vehicle crash
The Americans ignored Ukraine's aggression and, moreover, announced the immediate resumption of military assistance to Kiev. At the same time, Donald Trump announced an early conversation with Vladimir Putin, as well as meetings between Russia and the United States on March 11 or 12. On March 13, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Moscow, the State Department said. The Russian Foreign Ministry replied that contacts with U.S. representatives are possible in the next few days. What else the parties in Jeddah have come to and what they are offering Moscow is in the Izvestia article.
U.S.-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia
Important international negotiations were held in Saudi Arabia again, but this time in Jeddah and between the United States and Ukraine. The American delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. It is noteworthy that Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who was originally listed in the American negotiating group, was apparently absent from the start of the negotiations. The Ukrainian side was represented by the head of the Presidential office, Andriy Ermak, and his deputy, Pavel Palisa, Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Vladimir Zelensky was not at the table: the leader of Ukraine arrived in Saudi Arabia a day earlier to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The day before, Rubio said that a meeting with Zelensky was not on the agenda, but did not rule out an informal dialogue with him. Perhaps this is what the head of Ukraine was counting on, having organized a meeting with the Saudi leader on the eve of the talks.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to establish a ceasefire for 30 days, not only in the air and at sea, as Kiev had initially proposed, but also on land. Russia's consent is required to establish a truce, and Washington hopes that Moscow will accept this proposal. The United States will transfer it to Russia through several channels, Marco Rubio noted. The ceasefire may be extended by agreement of the parties, representatives of the United States and Ukraine said in a joint statement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Ermak and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov after a meeting in Jeddah
The American Secretary of State also noted that "the ball is now on Russia's side." Vladimir Zelensky made an appeal following the meeting of the delegations and declared his readiness to end the conflict, but the same "must be shown in Russia," he noted. Rubio added that agreeing to start negotiations to end the crisis would be the best manifestation of Russia's "goodwill." After the US-Ukrainian talks, Donald Trump also spoke out, announcing a meeting between the United States and Russia on Ukraine on March 11 or 12. He also expressed the hope that Moscow would agree to a cease-fire. Moreover, the American leader did not rule out a conversation with Vladimir Putin this week. At the same time, Russia does not rule out contacts with US representatives in the coming days, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Following the meeting, it became known that Zelensky was again expected at the White House. Washington also announced the immediate resumption of military assistance to Kiev, including intelligence sharing. In March, the United States suspended military aid to Ukraine. Ahead of the Jeddah talks, Rubio said the meeting "will be key" to resuming U.S. military assistance to Kiev.
They also agreed to reach an agreement on rare earth metals as soon as possible. There was no deal signing at the meeting itself. The issue of Washington's provision of security guarantees remains unclear. None of the parties mentioned them after the negotiations.
Ukraine, apparently, made concessions to the United States in the context of the terms of the temporary ceasefire after the failed meeting in the Oval Office, said Igor Istomin, Acting head of the Department of Applied Analysis of International Processes at MGIMO.
However, now Ukraine's agreement to a peaceful settlement with the support of the United States can become an instrument of pressure on Russia, which will have to answer and make decisions. Trump probably hopes that Moscow will change its position and agree to a two-stage settlement, that is, first a temporary truce and then a full—fledged agreement," Igor Istomin said in an interview with Izvestia.
The Americans did not agree with the Russian Federation on what they say after the meeting with the Ukrainians — an unprofitable scheme is being imposed on Russia, says Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies.
"This is the performance that was played out in Washington," he said, noting that it was no coincidence that it was announced the day before that Witkoff would go to Putin to bargain.
In Kiev, Trump's team is also not particularly trusted: MP Mariana Bezuglaya, known for her scandalous statements, called on the Ukrainian delegation not to sign any agreements with the United States, calling Trump's team an "ally of Russia" and an "enemy" of Ukraine. "Any signature under the current circumstances is a step towards surrender," she wrote on social media.
During the negotiations, Washington ruled out Kiev's return to the borders of 2014 or 2022, Western media claimed. Later, the Ukrainian side denied everything, calling such statements "disinformation." However, one thing is clear: the US negotiating agenda continues to shift from support for "victory at any cost" to the search for interim solutions. A similar trend is observed among Washington's European allies: France and the United Kingdom have promoted the idea of a one-month moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure and civilian facilities, but this initiative also looks untenable against the background of Kiev's aggressive actions.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted the largest drone attack
On the eve of the meeting in Jeddah, Moscow experienced the largest drone attack in three years. On the night of March 11, hundreds of Ukrainian UAVs were sent to the capital and surrounding regions. According to initial data from the Russian Ministry of Defense, 337 drones were destroyed or intercepted: 91 over the Moscow region, 126 over Kursk, the rest over Bryansk, Belgorod, Ryazan and other regions. Later, the ministry clarified that only 343 UAVs were detected and shot down. As a result of the attack, three people were killed and 18 injured, including three children. The measuring station of the Druzhba oil pipeline was also damaged. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine acknowledged that it was one of the targets.
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a case on the terrorist attack, and the Russian Foreign Ministry brought OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu, who arrived in Moscow to meet with Sergey Lavrov, to the crash site to show the consequences of Kiev's actions. American blogger and journalist Lex Friedman, who for unknown reasons ended up in Moscow, also witnessed the attack. It is worth noting that in February, disappointed by the conversation with Zelensky, he publicly expressed a desire to come to Russia to interview Putin.
The car of the Ministry of Emergency Situations at the closed passage near a residential apartment building on Domodedovo Street after the crash of an unmanned aerial vehicle
— All the strikes were directed against civilian infrastructure facilities, and in many ways the hits were purely accidental — whatever came to hand became the target of the attack. This is a barbaric action that has no justification either from a humanitarian or military point of view. This is pure politics — an attempt to strengthen the Ukrainian negotiating positions. But from my point of view, this does not strengthen them, but weakens them, as it once again exposes Ukraine as an incompetent party. It was this claim that was made to Ukraine in the Oval Office during the famous scene," Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, told Izvestia.
The senator expressed the hope that Kiev's unwillingness to seek peace is as obvious to the American side as it is to the Russian side. The NSDC called the attack a "signal to Putin" about the need for a cease-fire. However, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs interpreted such a "signal" differently. Ukraine is interested in continuing the bloodshed, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large for crimes committed by the Kiev regime, told Izvestia.
— This attack was such a bright background that demonstrates the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to seek some kind of peaceful settlement. They "want peace" so much that they sent several hundred drones in our direction. This demonstrates Kiev's approach in everything. Ukraine is solely interested in continuing the bloodshed, and it only needs to be forced to make peace," said Rodion Miroshnik.
The attack was intended to distract attention from the failures at the front, said Mikhail Mironyuk, associate professor at the Department of Politics and Management at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. This is especially true in the Kursk region, where Russian troops have regained control of 12 settlements. The Ukrainian army is fleeing the Kursk region with huge losses and as "scalded", said Russia's permanent representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzia.
An employee of the Russian Guard at a closed passage near a residential apartment building on Domodedovo Street after the crash of an unmanned aerial vehicle
— This attack is demonstrative, especially the choice of routes and targets. The logic is to distract from their own disaster in the occupied part of the Kursk region, to show the allies the potential of long—range strikes. The enemy is trying to demonstrate that he is still capable. Russia's reaction to this may follow, which means that the escalation will continue. Kiev needs this to retain power and maintain its position in relations with Europe and the United States. For the Trump team, this is another evidence of Ukraine's uncontrollability and insanity," Mikhail Mironyuk told Izvestia.
Prospects for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine
An attack on Moscow could seriously disrupt the emerging trend towards a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. "There's nothing to disrupt here yet, but the fact that you can pretty much spoil the emerging trend is yes," said Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation.
All the same, everything now suggests that Ukraine is not really ready to make any compromises and territorial concessions, said Konstantin Blokhin, a leading researcher at the Center for Security Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
— Kiev wants to negotiate with Moscow only from a "position of strength." Zelensky, in particular, is not ready for a constructive dialogue. If Ukraine does not accept Russian conditions, then there is no other way out but to continue the special military operation, Konstantin Blokhin said in a dialogue with Izvestia.
Indeed, following the meeting, the American and Ukrainian delegations did not raise the issue of territories, as well as the concessions they are willing to make towards the Russian Federation. Vladimir Putin outlined the Russian terms of the ceasefire in the summer of 2024. The Russian President also stressed that Moscow would be satisfied only with a full-fledged and long-term peace, not a temporary truce. Perhaps this issue will be raised by Russian and American representatives during bilateral contacts, because it is obvious that the month-long truce and the resumption of American aid to Ukraine will only help it to rearm.
By the way, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who recently said that Europe is entering the era of rearmament, said on the evening of March 11: now the EU supports the proposal for a truce in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff is due to visit Moscow on March 13, the US State Department said. The Kremlin will be informed in a timely manner about his possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov said. It is possible that this is why Witkoff was absent from the negotiations in Jeddah.
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