Zelenskyy arrives in Jeddah ahead of talks with US

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Saudi Arabia to visit the oil-rich kingdom's Crown Prince ahead of his official meeting with

America’s top diplomat and others.

Saudi state television reported Zelenskyy's arrival Monday in Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea where the Ukraine-US summit will be held Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also arrived in Jeddah.

The US, once Ukraine’s main ally, has upended its wartime policies in its stated pursuit of a rapid end to the fighting, engaging directly with Moscow while cutting off military assistance and intelligence sharing for Kyiv.

Zelenskyy will meet the Saudi crown prince, whose country has played various mediating roles since Russia’s 2022 invasion, including brokering prisoner exchanges and hosting talks between Russia and the US last month.

Meanwhile, military officials from over 30 nations will take part in Paris talks on the creation of an international security force for Ukraine. This was stated by a French military official on Monday.

The long list of participants in Tuesday's discussions would also include Asian and Oceania nations that would join remotely, the official said.