The U.S. and Ukraine announced on Tuesday that Kyiv is prepared to accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia following discussions in Saudi Arabia. In response, Washington has committed to lifting its freeze on intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine.
“Ukraine has agreed to the U.S. proposal for an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, extendable by mutual consent, contingent on Russia’s acceptance and concurrent implementation,” stated a joint U.S.-Ukraine declaration released by the State Department. The U.S. emphasized that Russian cooperation is essential for achieving peace.
The agreement followed over eight hours of negotiations between Ukrainian officials and a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jeddah. The U.S. pledged to resume security assistance to Ukraine, including approximately $1 billion in military equipment previously approved by the Biden administration but not yet delivered. An additional $3.8 billion in aid remains under the Trump administration’s discretion, though no new packages have been announced.
Ukraine has relied on U.S. and Western support since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and the recent pause in aid left Kyiv vulnerable. It remains unclear whether Russia will agree to the ceasefire. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to visit Moscow in the coming days after a previous three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in February.
Following the Jeddah talks, Rubio stated that the next move is Russia’s. “We’ll take this offer to them and hope they say yes to peace,” he said, adding that President Trump’s primary goal is to end the war.
The joint statement also confirmed that both sides would appoint negotiating teams to work toward a lasting peace agreement ensuring Ukraine’s long-term security. Additionally, it noted that Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aim to finalize a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical mineral resources, intended to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and security.
Washington has been advocating for such an agreement, and Zelenskyy had signaled his willingness to sign before the Saudi talks. While he did not directly participate in the discussions, his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, emphasized Ukraine’s readiness for peace and the importance of security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.
