Ukraine has officially accepted an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and agreed to immediate negotiations with Russia in a bid to end over three years of ongoing war. The groundbreaking development occurred during pivotal talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. This marks the first high-level US-Ukraine meeting following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public clash with President Donald Trump.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!During the meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Ukraine had accepted the proposal to enter into a ceasefire agreement, which could be extended by mutual consent. “Today we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations,” Rubio said. The US plans to present the proposal to Russia, hoping for their acceptance. “The ball is now in their court,” he added, emphasizing that Russia’s response will determine the future of the peace process.
The joint statement revealed that the ceasefire would be implemented immediately, subject to the Russian Federation’s acceptance. “The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace,” the statement read. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz added that the question is no longer whether the war will end, but how it will end.
The talks in Jeddah follow Ukraine’s largest direct attack on Moscow, where hundreds of drones hit the Russian capital and other regions. The attack, which left three people dead, was seen as a signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to consider a ceasefire, according to Ukrainian officials.
During the meeting, Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, expressed their commitment to peace. Yermak told reporters, “We are ready to do everything to achieve peace.” He also emphasized that the drone attacks were meant to push Putin to accept the ceasefire and to demonstrate Ukraine’s readiness to negotiate.
The US and Ukraine are also working on finalizing a deal regarding Ukrainian mineral resources, which had been a point of contention during earlier talks. Zelensky had previously left the White House without signing the agreement, which would give the US control over certain mineral resources in Ukraine.
While Russia has not yet commented on the ceasefire proposal, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov suggested that the lack of formal negotiations means there is nothing to disrupt at this stage. He stated, “There are no (peace) negotiations yet, so there is nothing to disrupt here.” However, Russia has continued to escalate strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, claiming to have retaken several settlements in the Kursk region that Ukraine had previously captured.
The US, led by Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, has made efforts to restart high-level talks with Russia after a period of strained relations due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Rubio, who met with Russian counterparts last month in Saudi Arabia, suggested that the proposal of a partial ceasefire would be well-received by the Trump administration, which has shifted its stance on Ukraine. Despite this shift, Rubio emphasized the need for further concessions for a final peace agreement. “I’m not saying that alone is enough, but it’s the kind of concession you would need to see in order to end the conflict,” he stated.
The situation remains fluid, and both sides are still maneuvering for the best possible outcome, with the US and its allies seeking to press Russia into making further compromises.
