America and Ukraine prepare for brutal negotiations
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. FOR TEN DAYS, since the shouting-match in the Oval Office, Ukraine has been scorched by Donald Trump’s wrath. Now comes a moment of catharsis—or another round of brutal punishment.
On February 11th America and Ukrainian delegations are due to meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The American side says the goal is to create “a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire". Yet on the Ukrainian side, amid the hope, there are fears the meeting could be a shake-down, a delaying tactic or an attempt by Mr Trump to win concessions that benefit Russia.
The summit comes as Russia is escalating its military pressure on Ukraine. Drone and missile strikes are hammering Kyiv and other cities. Russian and North Korean soldiers are making a new push to eject Ukraine from Kursk, the enclave inside Russia it captured last year.
The talks involve powerful teams on both sides. The American delegation will include Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, and Mike Waltz, the national security adviser. But the negotiating will probably be led by Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump’s confidant and roving envoy, who recently met Vladimir Putin and who is negotiating for the president over the Middle East, too.
The Ukrainian side will be led by Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelensky’s closest aide and a powerful figure behind the throne. He will be joined by the foreign minister, Andriy Sibiha, the defence minister, Rustem Umerov, and Pavlo Palisa, a military aide. All were technically appointed by Mr Zelensky, but are also widely considered to be Yermak loyalists.
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