US expects 'substantial progress' in peace talks with Ukraine
"Washington expects "substantial progress" to be made during talks with Ukraine this week, according to a senior US diplomat.
Intelligence sharing will be discussed and the US hopes to sign a deal on critical minerals at the talks in Saudi Arabia, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Monday.
Witkoff, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz are due to arrive in Jeddah for Tuesday's talks with their Ukrainian counterparts.
"We're going over there with an expectation that we're going to make substantial progress," Witkoff told Fox News. On whether a minerals deal was imminent, he said "all the signs are very, very positive".
US President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to accept his demands for a quick ceasefire with Moscow - but without any immediate pledge of a US security guarantee."
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9dp5rr2x9o