JEDDAH (Kashmir English): Ukraine agreed to a 30-day Ukraine-Russia ceasefire in US-brokered talks in Saudi Arabia today, with Washington resuming military aid and urging Moscow to accept the deal.
Ukraine has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire with Russia following negotiations with the United States in Saudi Arabia. The proposal, put forward by Washington, aims to pave the way for a lasting peace settlement in the region.
According to a joint statement from the US and Ukraine, the agreement includes the immediate resumption of American military aid and intelligence sharing, which had been suspended. Both sides have also committed to forming negotiating teams to work towards a long-term security framework to aid the Ukraine-Russia ceasefire.
The talks, held in Jeddah, lasted over eight hours and were led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior Ukrainian officials, including representatives from the Ukrainian presidential office, the foreign minister, and the defence minister. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Minister of State Musaed bin Mohammed were also present at the discussions.
Speaking at a press conference, Rubio said the ceasefire proposal would now be presented to Russia. “The ball is in their court,” he stated, expressing hope that Moscow would accept the offer. He added that Ukraine was “ready to stop shooting and start talking” but warned that if Russia rejected the deal, it would become clear “who the impediment to peace is”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the agreement, calling it a “positive” step. He said it was now up to the US to convince Russia to join the Ukraine-Russia ceasefire.
Previously, he stated that he was willing to leave his post if it meant peace in Ukraine. The temporary Ukraine-Russia ceasefire could be extended with mutual consent, according to the US State Department, and its terms would apply to both Ukraine and Russia.
Additionally, Ukraine and the US have agreed to finalise a comprehensive deal regarding Ukraine’s mineral resources shortly.
Before the negotiations, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met separately with Rubio and Zelensky, underscoring Riyadh’s role in facilitating the discussions.
