In his nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday and said his team would stay on to hold talks with US officials about ending the war between Ukraine and Russia.

"Ukraine is most interested in peace," Zelenskyy said on Thursday. "As we told President Trump, Ukraine is working and will work exclusively constructively for a quick and reliable peace."

The US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff also said that discussions are currently being held with Ukraine on a meeting in Saudi Arabia to end the Ukraine war.

The talks follow a letter from Zelenskyy to US President Donald Trump, which Witkoff said Trump saw as a "positive first step."

"There was an apology, there was an acknowledgment that the United States has done so much for the country of Ukraine, and a sense of gratitude," Witkoff told reporters at the White House in describing the tone of Zelenskyy's letter.

"We are now in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or even potentially Jeddah," he said. "The idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire."

"I think it'll be a good meeting. I really do believe that, hopefully, that will be a good signal to the Russians, because they have been proactive, too, in wanting to get something done here," said Witkoff, expressing optimism about the potential for progress.

Recent tensions

Tensions between the US and Ukraine escalated last week following Zelenskyy's contentious meeting with Trump during a visit to Washington, after which the US announced a pause in aid to Ukraine.

Recent days have shown signs of softening relations, with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Wednesday describing Zelenskyy's willingness to negotiate with Russia as a "positive step forward" to ending the conflict.

The American delegation previously met Russian officials in Riyadh on Feb. 18, marking the most extensive discussions between US and Russian officials since the war in Ukraine started in February 2022