Ukraine has agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States, provided that Russia accepts and adheres to the same terms. The announcement came late Tuesday evening after the extensive negotiations between high-ranking US and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The ceasefire agreement is the first significant diplomatic breakthrough since Donald Trump’s administration took office earlier this year. According to a joint statement released after more than seven hours of talks, Ukraine expressed its readiness to implement the ceasefire immediately, provided Russia reciprocates simultaneously. The temporary truce could be extended further if both parties mutually agree.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who did not personally attend the negotiations in Saudi Arabia, welcomed the development. In a statement, Zelenskyy said: “Ukraine has been striving for peace from the first moment of the war, and we want to do everything to achieve peace as quickly and reliably as possible—so that there is no more war”. He added that if Russia agrees to halt all aggression—including missile attacks, drone strikes, and bombing raids—not only in the Black Sea but across the entire frontline, “the silence will take effect at that very moment”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored that responsibility now lies with Moscow. “The ball is in the Russians’ court,” Rubio said after the discussions in Jeddah. “If the Kremlin does not agree to this deal, we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace”.
Clash Between Trump and Zelensky
This ceasefire announcement has come against the backdrop of a highly publicised clash between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump at the White House last month. During that meeting, Trump had suspended military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv as leverage to push Ukraine towards negotiations with Russia. However, since Ukraine’s acceptance of this ceasefire proposal, Washington announced it would immediately resume military support and intelligence collaboration with Kyiv.
Alongside ceasefire discussions, officials from both countries also addressed a potential comprehensive agreement on Ukraine’s critical mineral resources. This minerals deal had previously stalled after disagreements between Trump and Zelenskyy but now appears back on track following constructive negotiations in Saudi Arabia.
Russian Reaction
Reactions from Moscow remain cautious and noncommittal. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned against premature optimism without explicitly accepting or rejecting the deal yet. Russian hardliners have already voiced opposition towards any ceasefire agreement, arguing it would allow Ukraine valuable time to rearm and regroup. Russian State Duma deputy Viktor Sobolev described the proposal as “unacceptable,” suggesting it would undermine Russia’s strategic military objectives.
President Trump has indicated that he plans to discuss this proposal directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week, while Secretary Rubio will convey details formally through diplomatic channels.
As Ukraine takes this significant step towards ending hostilities after more than three years of devastating conflict, global attention now shifts squarely onto Russia’s response.
