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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Senior officials from Ukraine and the United States opened talks on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, on how to end the three-year war between Moscow and Kyiv. As reported by ABC News, the talks took place just hours after the Russian air defense shot down 343 Ukrainian drones in the largest attack.
Three people were killed and 18 injured, including three children, in the massive drone strike that spanned 10 Russian regions, officials said. Russia launched 126 Shahed and other drones as well as ballistic missiles at Ukraine on Tuesday, the Ukrainian air force said.
In the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, reporters briefly entered a room where senior Ukrainian delegates met with top American diplomats to discuss ending Europe's largest conflict since World War II. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio smiled for the cameras and when asked about his hopes for the meeting he gave a thumbs up and replied, "Good."
Across the table, Ukrainian officials, including diplomats and the country's top defense chief, sat expressionless as the meeting took place in a luxury hotel. There were no immediate comments from Ukrainian or US officials about the drone attacks.
However, Ukrainian President's aide Andriy Yermak, who also took part in the talks, told reporters that the most important thing is "how to achieve a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine."
He said security assurances are important to prevent Russia from invading again in the future.
In 2014, Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and backed pro-Kremlin militias in eastern Ukraine. They seized much of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and fought against Kyiv's forces for the next eight years.
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also attended with the flags of America, Saudi, and Ukraine in the background. Officials did not answer shouted questions from journalists.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the United States will inform Russia about the outcome of the Jeddah talks, which he described as "normal practice."
Talks Bring Opportunity to Mend US-Ukraine Ties
The meeting in Jeddah offers a chance for Kyiv officials to mend Ukraine's relationship with the Trump administration. This comes after an unprecedented argument erupted during President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House on February 28.
Ukraine needs to persuade Washington to end the suspension of US military aid and some intelligence sharing after the Oval Office fallout. US officials said positive talks in Jeddah could mean the suspension will be short-lived.
Ukrainian officials said on Monday that they will propose a ceasefire that includes the Black Sea to make shipments safer, as well as to halt long-range missile attacks that have hit civilians in Ukraine, and the release of detainees.
The senior officials said Kyiv is also ready to sign an agreement with the United States on access to rare earth minerals in Ukraine - a deal sought by President Donald Trump.
While traveling to Jeddah, Rubio said the US delegation will not propose specific steps to secure the end of the conflict. However, they are more interested in hearing from Ukraine about what they are willing to consider.
"I will not set any conditions about what they must or need to do," Rubio told accompanying reporters. "I think we want to listen to see how far they are willing to go and then compare that to what Russia wants and see how far apart we actually are."
Rubio said the rare earth and critical mineral deal could be signed during the meeting. But, he emphasized it is not a prerequisite for the US to continue discussions with Ukraine or Russia.
He said it might make more sense to take time to negotiate the exact details of the agreement, which is now a broad memorandum of understanding that leaves many specific details out.
Kremlin Stands Firm on Peace
The Kremlin has not openly offered any concessions. Russia said it is ready to halt hostilities, on the condition that Ukraine abandons its desire to join NATO and recognizes the occupied areas as part of Russia.
Russia has seized nearly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory since the war began.
Russian forces have maintained momentum on the battlefield for over a year, albeit at a high cost in infantry and armored vehicles, and made gains at specific points along the 600-mile front, notably in the eastern Donetsk region, against weakened Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine has heavily invested in developing its armaments industry, particularly high-tech drones that have reached deep into Russia.
Most of the Ukrainian drones shot down overnight - 126 of them - were downed over the Kursk area across the border from Ukraine, part controlled by Kyiv forces, and 91 were shot down in the Moscow area, according to a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 70 drones targeted the Russian capital and were shot down as they flew toward it, the largest single attack in Moscow so far in the war.
Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov said the attack damaged several residential buildings and a number of cars. Flights were briefly restricted into and out of six airports, including Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky just outside Moscow, and airports in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions.
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