US Aims to Resume Aid to Ukraine, Says Rubio, as Zelensky Engages Saudi Officials

US Senator Marco Rubio expresses optimism about resuming aid to Ukraine, while President Zelensky meets with Saudi officials to strengthen diplomatic ties and support.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. aims to address the halt in aid to Ukraine, noting he will adopt a “listening mode” during discussions in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is holding discussions with Saudi officials during an official visit.

He will not participate in the discussions with US officials on Tuesday, where Kyiv is anticipated to advocate for a truce with Russia concerning maritime and aerial conflicts.

A Kremlin spokesperson mentioned that Russia is currently “in the early stages of rebuilding bilateral relations” with the United States, noting that discussions between Trump and Putin are “constructive.”

According to Frank Gardner, the BBC’s Security correspondent, Russia and Ukraine remain significantly divided on their terms for a potential peace agreement.

In response to reports of swift Russian progress in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky assures that Ukrainian forces are not at risk of encirclement.

He stated in an external announcement that they are “making timely moves to redeploy to strategically advantageous areas for defense.”

Gen Syrsky stated that the offensive in the Kursk region includes “a substantial number of Russian troops bolstered by North Korean infantry.”

In response to reports of Russian forces attempting to cross from the Kursk region into Ukraine, he stated that the Ukrainian army maintained control over the border.

In August 2024, Ukraine unexpectedly initiated an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank based in Washington, reported that Russian forces are “collapsing the northern part of the Ukrainian salient externally.”

The ISW observed that it was “noteworthy” how Russian advances in the region aligned with the halt of US intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

A high-ranking Ukrainian politician stated that the repercussions of President Trump’s decision to stop supplying weapons and certain intelligence support to Ukraine will be reflected “in the lives of our soldiers.”

Yehor Cherniev, Deputy Chairman of Ukraine’s Defense and Intelligence Committee, informed the BBC that a suspension by the US “will result in us losing an increasing number of soldiers.”

He did not anticipate that the impact would be immediately felt on the frontline, as it will depend on how intense the fighting becomes. As of now, he believes Ukraine has enough supplies to continue fighting for another six months.

He emphasizes that a more urgent issue is the availability of missiles for US-made air defense systems, such as Patriot batteries—among the few capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.

Regarding the long-range ATACMS missiles supplied by the US, which are intended to strike high-value targets behind enemy lines, Mr. Cherniev believes that most of them, if not all, have already been deployed.

Ukraine has reduced its dependence on US-supplied weaponry and ammunition compared to the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Mr. Cherniev stated that Ukraine’s domestic arms production had grown over 20-fold, with a particular emphasis on locally manufactured drones.

Since the U.S. decision, Ukraine has continued to carry out long-range drone strikes within Russia, indicating that it still possesses some intelligence capabilities. However, it is unclear how and from where this information is being obtained.

Ivan Stupak, a former officer with the Ukrainian Security Service, expressed that he believed Ukraine “lacked awareness of what is happening” concerning intelligence sharing. He described this situation as indicative of deteriorating relations between Kiev and Washington, characterized by “a lack of direct communication.”