US President Donald Trump has announced a meeting of senior US, Russian and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia next week. The goal of the talks is to discuss ways to end the conflict in Ukraine. Trump clarified that the talks will not involve him and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but high-ranking officials from the countries in question. Earlier, there were reports of a possible meeting of the leaders in Riyadh, but so far only a meeting at the delegation level has been confirmed.

In parallel, US Vice President J.D. Vance told The Wall Street Journal that Washington is considering imposing additional economic sanctions against Russia and even sending US troops to Ukraine if Moscow does not agree to a peace deal that guarantees Kyiv's long-term independence. He stressed that there are both economic and military levers of influence that the US can use if the talks fail.

Vance expressed confidence in reaching an agreement that could "shock a lot of people." He noted that President Trump does not approach the negotiations with a blinkered view and is ready to consider all possible options for achieving peace. The vice president also emphasized that details regarding territorial issues and security guarantees for Ukraine will be discussed directly during the negotiations.

Earlier, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees. However, Vance's statements indicate that the Trump administration is considering different scenarios depending on how the negotiations progress.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern about possible negotiations between the United States and Russia without Ukraine's participation. He stressed that any agreements reached without Kyiv's participation will not be accepted by the Ukrainian side. Zelensky also noted that Ukraine should be an integral part of any peace process aimed at ending the conflict on its territory.