US military aid freeze could be 'resolved' during talks with Ukraine this week, Rubio says
The U.S. may resume military aid to Ukraine if there is progress during talks with Kyiv in Saudi Arabia this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists on March 10 en route to Jeddah, The Guardian reported.
Ukrainian and U.S. delegations are set to meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11 to discuss a potential ceasefire or peace agreement with Russia and a mineral resource deal between Kyiv and Washington.
"I think the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously, what happens tomorrow will be key to that," Rubio said.
Following President Volodymyr Zelensky's clash with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, Washington suspended all military aid to Ukraine.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed on March 5 that the U.S. had also halted intelligence sharing, potentially limiting Ukraine's ability to detect Russian missile strikes and carry out long-range attacks.
Speaking about a potential truce, Rubio praised Ukraine's proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and at sea.
"I'm not saying that alone is enough, but it's the kind of concession you would need to see in order to end the conflict," he said.
Rubio also said that more details still needed to "be worked out" on the mineral resource deal between Ukraine and the U.S. The deal was derailed after the clash between Zelensky and Trump on Feb. 28.
Zelensky previously announced that his Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Zelensky's Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa would take part in the talks.
Rubio, U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will lead the U.S. delegation.
Kateryna Hodunova
