Rubio heads to Saudi Arabia to gauge if Ukraine has shifted

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was set to head on Sunday to Saudi Arabia for talks with Ukraine as President Donald Trump decides whether to relent on an aid freeze to the wartime partner.

The State Department also confirmed Rubio would travel to Group of Seven talks in Canada, making him the senior-most official to visit since the return of Trump, who has launched a trade war with the US neighbor and mocked its sovereignty.

In the talks from Monday through Wednesday in Jeddah, Rubio will discuss how to “advance the president´s goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said, steering clear of pre-Trump phrasing of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously announced that he will be in Jeddah, as has Trump confidant and envoy Steve Witkoff.

Trump suspended aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after a disastrous February 28 meeting with Zelensky at the White House.