Talks between Ukraine and the United States have commenced in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, aimed at ending the three-year war with Russia. The meeting, being held at a luxury hotel in the Red Sea port city, saw US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the American delegation, joined by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. Ukrainian officials, representing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s team, faced them across the table, with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister present. American, Saudi, and Ukrainian flags stood in the background as journalists briefly observed the start, though no questions were answered.

The talks follow a massive Ukrainian drone attack on Russia overnight, with Russian defenses downing 337 drones across 10 regions, including 91 over Moscow and 126 over Kursk. Two people were killed, and 18 injured, including three children, Russian officials reported. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called it the largest single drone assault on the capital in the conflict. The attack preceded the Jeddah meeting, which comes after a contentious February 28 White House visit by Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian officials told The Associated Press they would propose a Black Sea ceasefire to ensure safer shipping, a halt to long-range missile strikes hitting civilians, and prisoner releases. Russia, controlling parts of Ukraine, demands Kyiv abandon NATO aspirations and recognize occupied regions as Russian, with no public concessions offered. Russian forces continue advancing along the 1,000-kilometer front, notably in Donetsk.

Rubio, en route to Jeddah, said the US seeks to hear Ukraine’s position without setting preconditions, aiming to gauge the gap between Ukrainian and Russian demands. A potential US-Ukraine deal on rare earth minerals, favored by President Donald Trump, could be signed, though Rubio noted specifics might require further negotiation. No immediate comments followed the drone attack from either delegation as talks began.