Ukraine has agreed to accept a US-proposed immediate 30-day ceasefire in Russia’s ongoing invasion of the eastern European country, pending Moscow’s acceptance of the same terms, according to a joint statement by officials on Tuesday evening.
“Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation,” the joint US-Ukrainian statement read, released after the talks in Jeddah.
“Both delegations agreed to name their negotiating teams and immediately begin negotiations toward an enduring peace that provides for Ukraine’s long-term security.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will now take the proposal to Moscow, told reporters that “the ball is in the (Russians’) court” and that if the Kremlin does not agree to the deal, “we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace”.
The deal marks a significant change of tone between the US and Ukraine, with both countries now signalling they are on the same side in the ongoing negotiations. Head of Ukrainian president’s office Andriy Yermak said after the talks that “today we demonstrated to the world we want peace, a just and lasting peace.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who did not participate in the Saudi Arabia talks on Tuesday evening, said in a statement that Washington “understands (Ukraine’s) arguments and accepts our proposals.”
“Our position is absolutely clear: Ukraine has been striving for peace from the first moment of the war, and we want to do everything to achieve peace as quickly and reliably as possible — so that there is no more war,” Zelenskyy said.
If the Russian side agrees to the conditions of a complete ceasefire “not only with regard to missiles, drones and bombs, not only in the Black Sea, but also along the entire frontline,” the Ukrainian leader added, “the silence will take effect at that very moment.”
“Ukraine is ready for peace. Russia must also show whether it is ready to end the war — or continue it. The time has come for the whole truth,” Zelenskyy concluded.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration said Tuesday that it would immediately lift its suspension of military support to Ukraine and its intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
The 180-degree shift on the two issues came more than a week after imposing the measures to push Zelenskyy into negotiations that could lead to a peace deal with the Kremlin.
Officials from the two countries met in Saudi Arabia to also discuss the possibility of reaching a deal on critical raw minerals, which, according to the post-meeting statement, is to be agreed on “as soon as possible”.
