Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Ukraine has endorsed a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and agreed to immediate negotiations with Russia, marking a potential turning point in the three-year-long war.
The development, announced after high-stakes talks in Jeddah on Tuesday, prompted the Trump administration to lift a freeze on military aid to Ukraine, signaling renewed U.S. engagement in the conflict.
“Today, we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted—to enter into a ceasefire and begin immediate negotiations,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said following nine hours of discussions. “We will now take this offer to the Russians and hope they say yes to peace. The ball is in their court.”
President Donald Trump, who has taken a sharply different approach from his predecessor, had applied intense pressure on Kyiv while reaching out to Moscow. His administration’s move to cut off military aid and intelligence sharing earlier this year had pushed Ukraine to seek a compromise.
The U.S. proposal initially included a partial truce focused on air and sea attacks, but Trump’s advisors pressed for a full month-long ceasefire. Ukraine ultimately agreed to the broader terms.
In Washington, Trump expressed optimism about the agreement and indicated he may speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days. He also extended an invitation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to return to the White House.
A joint statement from Ukraine and the U.S. emphasized plans to finalize a deal granting American access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, a condition Trump had set for continued military support. The agreement, initially slated for signing before a contentious February 28 meeting between Trump and Zelensky, now appears back on track.
Zelensky welcomed the ceasefire proposal, urging Russia to respond decisively. “The American side understands our arguments and our proposals. Now, Russia must clearly state whether it wants peace,” he said.
Despite the diplomatic progress, tensions remain high. Just hours before the Jeddah talks, Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on Moscow, killing three people. Meanwhile, Russian forces have intensified assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and reclaimed territory in the Kursk region.
Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Zelensky, reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to peace but stressed the need for a firm response from Russia. “They must decide—do they want to end the war they started or not?” he said.
The shift in U.S. policy has unsettled European allies, with France and Germany increasingly discussing independent European defense strategies. French President Emmanuel Macron has even suggested deploying European forces to Ukraine as part of a broader security arrangement.
Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz defended the administration’s approach, arguing that it has reshaped global discussions around the war. “We’ve gone from questioning if the war will end to discussing how it will end,” Waltz said.
Rubio is set to travel to Canada for a meeting with G7 foreign ministers, where he will urge a diplomatic tone toward Russia to avoid derailing negotiations.
As Ukraine and Russia edge closer to the negotiating table, critical questions remain. While Ukraine seeks long-term security guarantees, Trump has ruled out NATO membership for Kyiv, marking another significant departure from Biden-era policies.
With both sides now weighing the ceasefire proposal, the world waits to see whether Moscow will accept the offer—potentially ushering in the most serious push for peace since the war began in 2022.
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