The US delegation will also be watching for signs that the Ukrainians are serious about improving ties with the Trump administration after a meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy devolved into an argument last month, said one of two officials, who requested anonymity.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will fly to Jeddah on Sunday for the bilateral talks with Ukrainian officials.
Rubio is expected to be joined by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
"You can't say 'I want peace,' and, 'I refuse to compromise on anything,'" one of the US officials said.
"We want to see if the Ukrainians are interested not just in peace, but in a realistic peace," said a second official.
"If they are only interested in 2014 or 2022 borders, that tells you something."
Trump expressed optimism about the talks on Sunday.
"We're going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week," he told reporters on Air Force One.
Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address that he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to "continue to work for the sake of peace".
"This concerns both, bringing peace closer and continuing support," Zelenskiy said.
Ukraine's European allies argue that Ukraine can only ink a deal with Russia from a position of strength and Kyiv shouldn't be rushed to the negotiating table with an aggressor.
Zelenskiy has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace, and that Russia will attack other European countries if its invasion of Ukraine does not result in a clear defeat.
Trump has expressed frustration with Ukraine in recent weeks, saying it is running out of manpower and resources and needs to come to the table.
His administration has cut off weapons shipments and some intelligence sharing with Kyiv in recent days, accusing the Ukrainians of not being sufficiently open to peace.
Trump was asked by reporters if he would consider ending the suspension of intelligence sharing.
"We just about have. We just about have," he said.
Critics say Trump's moves risk prolonging the war by strengthening Russia's hand and thus making the country less likely to lay down arms and strike an equitable peace deal.
Russian troops have been making slow but steady progress in eastern Ukraine, while thousands of Ukrainian troops who stormed into Russia's Kursk region last summer are nearly surrounded.
In a statement, National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said Zelenskiy had made progress in restoring the US-Ukraine relationship following his acrimonious meeting with Trump.
He pointed to comments by Trump during his address to the US Congress earlier last week, when he said he had received a conciliatory note from the Ukrainian leader.
"With meetings in Saudi Arabia this coming week, we look forward to hearing more positive movement that will hopefully and ultimately end this brutal war and bloodshed," Hughes said.
Witkoff, the Middle East envoy, said publicly earlier this week that he hoped to discuss a "framework" for a potential ceasefire and peace deal.
Hanging over Jeddah is the fate of a minerals deal between the US and Ukraine, which Kyiv wants to include a US security guarantee in exchange for access to certain mineral resources in Ukraine.
Zelenskiy and Trump had been slated to sign that accord during Zelenskiy's Washington visit but after the blowup between the two men, it was not signed.
Since then, both sides have expressed a renewed willingness to sign the deal.
Trump said on Sunday he thought Ukraine would sign it.
"They will sign the minerals deal but I want them to want peace ... They haven't shown it to extent they should," he said.
with dpa and AP
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