**US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Visit Saudi Arabia for Ukraine Talks Amid Aid Freeze Debate**
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday for discussions on Ukraine, as President Donald Trump weighs whether to lift a freeze on aid to the war-torn nation. The State Department confirmed that Rubio will also attend Group of Seven (G7) meetings in Canada, marking the highest-level US official visit since Trump’s return to office. Trump has recently escalated trade tensions with Canada and made dismissive remarks about its sovereignty.
During his visit to Jeddah from Monday through Wednesday, Rubio will focus on advancing President Trump’s objective to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. Notably, the language used avoided referencing the conflict as a “Russian invasion of Ukraine,” a term commonly used before Trump’s presidency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the talks in Jeddah, alongside Steve Witkoff, a close confidant of Trump and his special envoy. The discussions come amid ongoing tensions between the US and Ukraine following a contentious meeting between Trump and Zelensky at the White House on February 28. During the meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelensky for what they described as a lack of gratitude for previous US military aid, which amounted to billions of dollars.
Following the meeting, Trump suspended aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine after Zelensky declined to sign an agreement that would grant the US significant control over Ukraine’s mineral resources. Trump argued that such a deal would compensate American taxpayers for the assistance provided during the Biden administration. However, Zelensky has since expressed willingness to sign the minerals agreement and sent a conciliatory letter to Trump, which the president referenced during his recent address to Congress.
Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, stated on Thursday that he would support resuming aid to Ukraine once Zelensky signs the minerals deal. However, he emphasized that the final decision rests with President Trump. According to NBC News, citing unnamed sources, Trump is unlikely to restore aid based solely on the minerals agreement and may seek additional assurances that Zelensky is prepared to make concessions to Russia.
European leaders, alarmed by the suspension of US aid, have been exploring alternative ways to support Ukraine. However, Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that no other nation can replace the security guarantees provided by the United States in any potential peace deal with Russia. Meanwhile, Russia continues its military strikes on Ukraine, including attacks on energy infrastructure, three years after its initial invasion.
In a recent statement, Trump threatened to impose stricter sanctions on Russia if it refuses to engage in peace negotiations. Rubio’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia follows his meeting with Russian officials last month, which marked the first high-level contact between the two nations since the Biden administration. During those talks, Rubio discussed potential economic cooperation post-conflict, signaling a shift in diplomatic engagement.
In Jeddah, Rubio is also expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader. The kingdom has emerged as a key diplomatic ally for the Trump administration. Trump is reportedly pushing for Saudi Arabia to formally recognize Israel, though such a move appears unlikely until a lasting resolution to the Gaza conflict is achieved—a priority for envoy Steve Witkoff as he continues his regional diplomacy.
After concluding his talks in Saudi Arabia, Rubio will travel to Quebec for the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting. His spokeswoman stated that he will work to “further US interests in peace and security, strategic cooperation, and global stability.” Notably, she did not address the ongoing trade tensions between the US and Canada, which Trump has exacerbated with tariffs and dismissive comments, including referring to Canada as the “51st state.” Despite these tensions, Trump has recently scaled back some of his trade measures amid market volatility.
