WASHINGTON — Tuesday’s U.S.-Ukraine meeting in Saudi Arabia is intended to help clarify what concessions might be possible in the push toward a ceasefire with Russia, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, playing down the possibility of a major breakthrough.

“We’re not going to be sitting in a room drawing lines on a map, but just get a general sense of what concessions are in the realm of the possible for them and what they would need in return,” Rubio said. “And then find out what the Russian position is in that regard. And that’ll give us a pretty good assessment of how far apart we truly are.”

Rubio said the U.S. wants Ukraine to demonstrate a clear commitment to a diplomatic resolution. A possible natural-resources deal — which President Donald Trump has portrayed as a prerequisite — won’t be the main topic of discussion during Tuesday’s meeting, the top U.S. diplomat told reporters on the way to Jeddah on Monday. That will require more negotiations, he said.

In a quickening of efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump is sending envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow this week to meet with President Vladimir Putin, people familiar with the matter said. Although Witkoff’s title is Middle East envoy, this would be his second trip to Russia as Trump’s representative, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.

Trump said Sunday that the U.S. had “big meetings coming up” with Ukraine and Russia.

Rubio met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after his arrival in Saudi Arabia Monday night. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was expected to meet separately with the crown prince but depart the kingdom before some of his top aides engage in talks Tuesday with the U.S. delegation led by Rubio.

Rubio said the U.S. is “more in listening mode than talking mode.” He said of the Ukrainians, “I don’t have any predetermined words that I need them to say.”

As Trump pushes for an end to the conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion more than three years ago, Zelenskyy will be looking for some easing of the pressure Trump has ramped up, including the U.S. suspension of military aid and intelligence assistance.

The pause in U.S. aid “came about because we felt that” the Ukrainians “were not committed to any sort of peace process, were not interested in negotiations,” Rubio said. He said that’s “something I hope we can resolve.”

“What happens tomorrow will be key to that,” he said.

There’s no meeting planned between Trump and Putin at this time, Rubio said, while adding that Trump has proven willing to meet with anyone when he thinks it could yield results.

Initial conversations with the Russians in Riyadh were focused on establishing whether Moscow was interested in engaging in talks, Rubio said, and didn’t get into specific negotiating positions.

Any final settlement would necessarily also involve the Europeans, Rubio said, given the sanctions those countries have imposed on Russia. He’s been in contact with the UK and France about the meetings in Jeddah.

Zelenskyy said last week that he was open to a ceasefire if Russia agreed to halt airstrikes and naval operations. A prisoner exchange should follow as a way of establishing trust, the Ukrainian president told European Union leaders in Brussels.

A deal to halt to Russia-Ukraine hostilities in the Black Sea will be on the table during the Jeddah talks, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Russia is willing to discuss a temporary truce in Ukraine provided there’s progress toward a final peace settlement, according to people familiar with the matter in Moscow. Yet there’s been no public indication that Putin is willing to compromise — or that the U.S. is pushing him to do so.

Trump’s advisers are sketching out how they might ease the sanctions imposed on Russia because of the war, including a cap imposed on prices for its oil sales, according to people familiar with the discussions.

On Friday, Trump said he was “strongly considering” fresh banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia over its continued attacks on Ukraine. He didn’t mention those threats later in the day, and it wasn’t clear what new restrictions could be imposed given the broad penalties already in place.

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(With assistance from Annmarie Hordern and Jenny Leonard.)

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