Ukraine agrees to accept immediate, 30-day ceasefire as US lifts aid pause
Ukraine has agreed to accept a U.S. proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire and to take steps toward restoring a durable peace after Russia’s invasion, according to a joint U.S.-Ukraine statement on Tuesday.
The two sides, meeting in Saudi Arabia, also agreed to conclude as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources, the statement said.
“Ukraine is ready to start talking and stop shooting,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.
As part of the plan, the United States immediately lifted its pause on sharing intelligence with Ukraine, and will resume security assistance to that country, which was invaded by Russia more than three years ago.
And both U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to conclude “as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources,” according to a joint statement by the two nations’ governments.
The agreement came after more than seven hours of negotiations on Tuesday in Jedda between high-level American and Ukrainian delegations.
“Today, we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way that’s enduring and sustainable and accounts for their interests, their security, their ability to prosper as a nation,” Rubio said.
“And hopefully we’ll take this offer now to the Russians, and we hope that they’ll say yes, that they’ll say yes to peace,” Rubio said. “The ball is now in their court.”
In a joint statement, the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations said the interim, month-long ceasefire “can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties.
“The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace,” the statement said.
The two delegations “also discussed the importance of humanitarian relief efforts as part of the peace process, particularly during the above-mentioned ceasefire, including the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children,” the statement said.
–Agencies