Ukraine has declared its readiness to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia, following a US proposal made during a day of talks in Saudi Arabia.
The development marks a potential breakthrough in efforts to halt the war, as Washington pledged to present the offer to Moscow without delay.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “the ball is in their court,” after confirming Ukraine’s agreement to the proposal. Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy described the plan as “positive” and said it was now the responsibility of the US to persuade Russia to come on board.
Tuesday’s meeting in Jeddah was the first formal encounter between US and Ukrainian officials since the highly publicised Oval Office confrontation between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump on 28 February.
In a joint statement, the US said it would resume intelligence sharing and security assistance to Ukraine, which had been suspended in the wake of the White House row.
“Both delegations agreed to name their negotiating teams and immediately begin negotiations toward an enduring peace that provides for Ukraine’s long-term security,” the statement read.
Speaking at a press conference in Jeddah, Rubio expressed hope that Russia would respond positively.
He emphasised that Ukraine was “ready to stop shooting and start talking,” and added, “if Russia rejected the offer then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.”
“Today we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations,” Rubio said.
“We’ll take this offer now to the Russians and we hope they’ll say yes to peace. The ball is now in their court,” he added.
The proposed ceasefire goes further than President Zelenskyy’s earlier suggestion of a partial truce limited to air and sea engagements.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Trump for “the constructiveness” of the talks. In a video message, he called on Russia to demonstrate its intentions: “show its willingness to stop the war or continue the war. It is time for the full truth.”
The Kremlin has not yet issued a formal response, although earlier on Tuesday it confirmed it would release a statement after reviewing Washington’s briefing on the talks. However, senior Russian lawmaker Kostantin Kosachev said any deal would be “on our terms, not American.”
He added, “real agreements are still being written… at the front,” noting that Russian forces continued to advance.
At the White House, President Trump told reporters he planned to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who would “hopefully” agree to the ceasefire. “It takes two to tango, as they say,” he remarked, adding that a major meeting with Russia was scheduled for the next day and that he was “open to inviting Zelenskyy back to Washington.”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, indicated that talks with US representatives had not been ruled out, according to state news agency, Tass.
When asked whether relations between Trump and Zelenskyy were “back on track,” Rubio replied that he hoped it was “peace” that was now back on track. “This is not Mean Girls, this is not some episode of some television show,” he said. “Today people will die in this war, they died yesterday and – sadly – unless there’s a ceasefire, they will die tomorrow.”
The Jeddah talks came shortly after overnight drone strikes near Moscow killed at least three people, an incident Russia said undermined Ukraine’s commitment to diplomacy.
Meanwhile, the joint statement also revealed that Trump and Zelenskyy had agreed to finalise “as soon as possible” a critical minerals deal. Ukraine is offering the US access to its rare earth reserves in exchange for security guarantees, a deal that had previously stalled due to tensions at the White House.
Rubio clarified that the issue had not been central to Tuesday’s discussions, but remained under negotiation.
The US delegation in Jeddah also included National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to travel to Russia in the coming days, according to a source familiar with the plans.
ALSO READ: Ukraine-Russia war: Zelenskyy heads to Saudi Arabia ahead talks with US officials
The statement also noted that Ukraine had “reiterated” its position that Europe should be involved in any eventual peace process.
However, Washington’s recent move to exclude European leaders from key negotiations has prompted emergency talks within the EU.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the latest development as “positive.”
Securing a swift end to the war remains a central promise of Trump’s presidency. He has increased pressure on Kyiv to accept a truce, despite not offering the immediate security assurances demanded by Zelenskyy.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then