Ukraine Supports 30-Day Cease-Fire as U.S. Says It Will Resume Military Aid

Ukraine announced its support for a Trump administration proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, following extensive discussions on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. During these talks, the United States agreed to immediately resume intelligence sharing with Kyiv and reinstate military assistance, reversing a previous suspension.

The negotiations, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, injected new momentum into ceasefire discussions that had stalled after a tense public exchange at the White House between the Ukrainian and U.S. presidents.

Following that contentious meeting in Washington, the Trump administration had halted all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Tuesday’s developments were outlined in a joint statement, just hours after Russian officials reported that Ukrainian drones had launched the most extensive attack on Moscow since the war began.

In the statement, both the U.S. and Ukraine acknowledged that any ceasefire would require Russian approval. However, Moscow, which did not participate in the talks, has yet to comment on the proposal.

“Ukraine has expressed its willingness to accept the U.S. proposal for an immediate, temporary 30-day ceasefire—provided that Russia does the same,” the statement read. It further noted, “The United States will communicate to Russia that reciprocal action is essential for achieving peace.”

At the conclusion of the discussions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the onus is now on Russia to bring an end to the war.

“We’re now taking this offer to the Russians, and we hope they’ll accept it—because saying ‘yes’ means saying ‘yes’ to peace,” Rubio stated. “The next move is theirs.”

The United States has been conducting separate discussions with both Russia and Ukraine, though there has been no public indication that Russia would agree to an unconditional month-long ceasefire.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has previously signaled that any pause in hostilities would come with conditions, such as assurances that Ukraine will not seek NATO membership. Since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has sustained heavy losses alongside Ukraine, with over a million soldiers on both sides killed or wounded.

During his annual press conference in December, Putin dismissed the notion of a ceasefire, suggesting that it would merely give Ukraine time to regroup. “We don’t need a truce,” he asserted. “We need a stable and lasting peace.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Trump told reporters he expected to speak with Putin later in the week and hoped negotiations for a lasting ceasefire would progress in the coming days.

Additionally, the joint statement announced that the U.S. and Ukraine had agreed to finalize a deal “as soon as possible” to develop Ukraine’s oil, natural gas, and mineral resources. This agreement, which had been put on hold following the Oval Office confrontation, aims to bolster Ukraine’s economy and ensure long-term stability and security.

The discussions also covered humanitarian relief efforts during the ceasefire and the exchange of prisoners of war.

“Both delegations praised the resilience of the Ukrainian people and agreed that now is the time to take meaningful steps toward lasting peace,” the statement affirmed.

The U.S. delegation in Jeddah was led by Secretary of State Rubio and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz. On the Ukrainian side, representatives included Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to the Ukrainian president; Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha; and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

Before the talks, Ukraine had insisted that any ceasefire must come with security guarantees. However, the joint statement offered no indication that such assurances would be provided before implementing the ceasefire.

Nevertheless, Waltz later told reporters that security guarantees had been a key part of the discussions.

“We also explored the long-term resolution of this war, including what security measures will ensure Ukraine’s stability and prosperity beyond the ceasefire,” Waltz said.

The temporary halt in U.S. intelligence sharing had already affected Ukrainian military operations, particularly in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian commanders reported setbacks as Russian forces rapidly reclaimed territory lost the previous summer.

On Tuesday, Russia’s military announced it had recaptured 12 settlements in the Kursk region.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War noted the “notable timing” between the suspension of U.S. intelligence assistance and Russia’s advances in Kursk. However, the joint statement did not clarify whether the proposed ceasefire would include this contested area.

Tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously boiled over during a dramatic White House meeting, which quickly escalated into a heated argument.

At one point, Trump cut Zelensky off, stating, “You’ve talked enough. You won’t win.” As the televised clash concluded, Trump remarked, “This is going to be great television.”

The fallout from that confrontation has continued to reverberate, prompting renewed commitments of support from Ukraine’s European allies. On Tuesday, Rubio indicated that it was time to move forward.

“What’s important now is getting back on track toward peace,” Rubio said. “This isn’t a reality TV show.”

Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Andriy Yermak, thanked the U.S. for the “constructive” discussions. “A just peace is our top priority,” he wrote on social media. “We seek a lasting resolution.”

In his nightly video address, Zelensky revealed that Ukraine had entered the talks with a proposal for a limited ceasefire, focusing solely on halting aerial bombardments and combat in the Black Sea.

However, the American delegation instead put forward a more comprehensive ceasefire plan. Zelensky highlighted that a key aspect of the discussions was the U.S. commitment to resume military and intelligence assistance, though he stopped short of explicitly linking it to the ceasefire agreement.

Colonel Pavlo Palisa, a Ukrainian military adviser, implied in a Facebook post that the offer to restore U.S. military support played a decisive role in Ukraine’s acceptance of the ceasefire.

His statement hinted—without directly stating—that Trump’s strategy of withdrawing aid may have pressured Ukraine into agreement. “We are ready for a full ceasefire,” Palisa wrote, “and in return, the United States has agreed to restore security assistance and intelligence cooperation.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the joint statement as “a pivotal moment for peace in Ukraine” and announced plans to convene global leaders to discuss next steps.

“I strongly welcome today’s agreement in Jeddah and commend both President Trump and President Zelensky for achieving this breakthrough,” Starmer said. “Now, Russia must agree to the ceasefire and end the conflict.”

The war in Ukraine has stretched across nearly 700 miles of entrenched battle lines, carving through fields, forests, and urban areas in the country’s eastern regions. Long-range weaponry, including howitzers and exploding drones, has made movement anywhere near the front extremely hazardous.

While the joint communiqué signaled progress, it provided no details on how a ceasefire would be enforced—an issue that has historically proven to be highly complex since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine first began in 2014.