Jeddah:
Ukraine approved the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and shattered three years of war before agreeing to immediate negotiations with Russia at a crunch conference in Jeddah on Tuesday.
A positive response from Ukraine has led President Donald Trump’s administration to lift the freeze on military aid and predict the beginning of the three-year war.
Trump has spoken about Trump’s stunning ally by putting strong pressure on Kiev and reaching out to Moscow, and Ukrainian officials are eager to make up for it in Saudi Arabia, suggesting a partial ceasefire with air force and sea attacks.
Trump’s advisors are even closer, saying Ukraine has agreed to a month-long ceasefire in a war that has killed tens of thousands of people.
“Today we made an offer accepted by Ukrainians: to enter a ceasefire and to enter into immediate negotiations,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters after a rough nine-hour speech at a gorgeous hotel in Jeddah.
“We now accept this offer to the Russians. We hope they say yes in peace. The ball is now in their court.
“If they say no, unfortunately, I know what the obstacles to peace here are,” Rubio said of Russia.
Rubio said the US will immediately resume sharing military aid and intelligence news, putting pressure on wartime partners following a disastrous February 28 meeting with President Trump and President Volodimia Zelensky.
In Washington, Trump said he is ready to return Zelensky to the White House and may speak to President Vladimir Putin this week.
Trump was asked by a reporter about the outlook for a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine. “Well, I hope it will be in the next few days.
“We know we’re having a big meeting with Russia tomorrow, and we hope some great conversations work.”
In a joint statement, Ukraine and the United States said they would conclude “as soon as possible” to ensure access to Ukrainian mineral wealth, which Trump demanded as billions of dollars in US arms under his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Zelensky was to sign a contract at the White House before the dramatic camera showdown. Trump and Vice President JD Vance dressed up wartime leaders and accused him of ignoring him.
Zelensky quickly thanked Trump for the “positive” ceasefire proposal in Jeddah, saying the US must now work to persuade Russia.
“The US wants to understand our arguments, perceive our proposals and thank President Trump for the constructive conversations between our teams,” Zelensky said in his evening speech.
– Russia must “answered clearly” –
Since the cutoff of US aid and intelligence sharing, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, seized land in Russia’s Kursk region, and has penetrated Ukrainian forces for leverage.
Hours before Jeddah spoke, Ukraine made a major direct attack on Moscow, causing hundreds of drones to hit the capital and other regions, killing three people.
Top Zelensky’s aide Andri Yermack said in Jeddah that Ukraine had made clear that its desire was peaceful.
“Russia needs to be very clearly said whether they want peace or not. They want to end this war.
Trump’s sudden change to Ukraine following Biden’s strong support rattles off European allies, with France and Germany increasingly speaking about the development of European defence in general if the US no longer offers security assurances through NATO.
But Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz retorted that President Flash “literally moved global conversations” in support of peace.
“If the war was going to end how the war would end, we were off,” Waltz told reporters along with Rubio.
Waltz, who said he would speak with his Russian counterparts in the coming days, believed that the Ukrainians agreed to “end the murders and the tragic flesh of the people and the national treasures.”
– Allies caution –
Rubio heads to Canada on Wednesday – another country Trump is refuting – meets fellow foreign ministers from seven industrial democratic groups.
Rubio says he will push the G7 to avoid “hostile” language about Russia, fearing it will embarrass diplomacy.
In Poland, where Ukraine’s greatest supporter and Russian historical memory is deep in its history, Prime Minister Donald Tass praised the US and Ukraine for “an important step towards peace.”
Even if Russia agrees to a ceasefire, it remains a lot of uncertainty in negotiations. Ukraine is seeking security assurances, but Trump has ruled out NATO membership in another shift from Biden.
Waltz said the talks in Jeddah discussed “substantial details on how this war would be end forever.”
France’s Emmanuel Macron has pondered Ukrainian European troops as part of any deal, but on Tuesday Kiev said that a ceasefire requires a “reliable” security guarantee.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published by Syndicate Feed.)
