(VOVWORLD) - The United States and Ukraine held negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday and issued a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, offering a new hope of ending the largest conflict in Europe since World War II.
 The US-Ukraine negotiation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on March 11, 2025 (photo: XNA/VNA) |
The US delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.The Ukrainian delegation included Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
A comprehensive ceasefire
The US proposed an immediate one-month ceasefire in Ukraine which could be extended by mutual agreement of all parties. The US diplomats committed to discussing the proposal with Russia. Ukraine requested the inclusion of the EU in the peace negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was in Jeddah but did not participate in the negotiations, later said he would agree to the ceasefire only if Russia also accepted it. He said the ceasefire must apply comprehensively to military operations on land, at sea, and in the air.
“Ukraine has agreed to this proposal. We see it as a positive step and are ready to enact it. The US must take the proposal to Russia. We agree, and if Russia also agrees, the ceasefire will take effect immediately," said Zelensky.
With Ukraine accepting the ceasefire proposal and agreeing to sign a preliminary mineral agreement soon, the US government announced it will resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. President Trump praised these developments and said he will quickly initiate discussions with President Putin to persuade Russia to accept the ceasefire.
“I'll talk to President Vladimir Putin. Hopefully he'll also agree. I really think that would be 75% of the way. The rest is getting it documented,” said Trump.
“The ball is in Russia’s court”
The 30-day ceasefire proposal has received positive responses from the international community. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk hailed it as a significant step toward a peace agreement and a complete end to the conflict. But European nations continue to call for enduring security guarantees for Ukraine in any ceasefire agreement.
Diplomatic pressure has now shifted to Russia. If Moscow rejects or delays the proposal, it could affect the improving relationship between Russia and the US.Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after the negotiations that “the ball is now in Russia’s court.” He said President Trump wants immediate peace and the US government is prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve it.
“Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking. It'll be up to them to say yes or no. I hope they're going to say yes. If they do then I think we made great progress. If they say no then we'll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace. But the President has been abundantly clear. He wants the shooting to stop. He wants the warfare to stop. He wants the dying and the suffering to stop,” said Rubio.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskovon Tuesday cautioned Russians against being over-optimistic about recent positive signals from the US government, and said Russia needs to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
Peskov also said all recent diplomatic activities, including the negotiations in Jeddah, are merely preliminary assessments of each side’s intentions rather than serious negotiations. He said the Russian army will continue its operations to achieve its stated objectives, with diplomatic talks to follow afterward.