Ukraine is willing to accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia as the United States freezes on aid and intelligence

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The United States and Ukraine said Kiev will accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia after meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, and Washington promised to immediately freeze intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine.

“Ukraine said it was ready to accept the proposal of the U.S. to implement an immediate 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended by mutual consent of the parties, which could be accepted and implemented simultaneously by the Russian Federation,” the United States and Ukraine said in a joint statement issued by the country’s State Department. “The United States will communicate that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.”

The agreement emerged more than eight hours later negotiation Between Ukrainian officials and a U.S. delegation led by Saudi Arabia’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The statement said the United States will immediately stop intelligence sharing and security assistance in Ukraine. “Both are freezing In a Explosive meeting On February 28, between Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Trump.

Today’s Unfrozen military aid includes about $1 billion in equipment that has been approved by the Biden administration and has not been delivered. The Trump administration has the right to provide another $3.8 billion in aid, but has not announced any further aid packages. Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has been fighting against Russia for Ukraine, and the move to cut aid has put Kiev at a disadvantage, with European allies scrambling to the forefront.

Whether Russia will support the ceasefire remains to be seen. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, will travel to the country in the coming days, according to people familiar with the plan. Vikov Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than three hours In February.

Rubio said in a press conference after the meeting: “The ball is now [Russia’s] court. ”

“We are now giving this proposal to the Russians. We hope they will say yes, they will say “yes” to peace,” Rubio said. “The president’s goal here is, first of all, that he wants the war to end, and I think Ukraine has taken a concrete step in this regard today. We hope the Russians will reward them.”

The U.S. and Ukraine statement said each of them would “name their negotiating team and start negotiations immediately to achieve lasting peace, which prescribes long-term security in Ukraine.”

It also said that Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelenskyy will “conclude as soon as possible to develop Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to expand Ukraine’s economy and ensure long-term prosperity and security.” Washington has been pushing for Kiev to sign an agreement that will allow the United States to obtain its mineral reserves, and Zelensky said it was ready to sign a deal before negotiations.

Rubio supported the U.S. delegation to Saudi Arabia in Witkoff and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. Zelenskyy visited Saudi Arabia during negotiations but did not participate.

Ahead of the talks, a senior Ukrainian official said his message to the U.S. team was that Kiev was ready to reach a peace agreement with Russia, and that while Zelenskyy might still want Western security assurances as part of blocking any future Russian aggression, the focus was on “how to start the process.”

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said his delegation’s core message to the United States was that “Ukrainians want peace” and that Ukraine was “ready” to work towards that goal.

When asked about security assurance, Yermak said they were “very important because we always want this aggression, [is] Will never be repeated in the future. Of course, this is very important. But now we think it is necessary to discuss it, [with] The most important thing is how to start this process. ”

Eleanor Watson and Charlie D’Agata contributed to the report.