Ukraine has endorsed a US initiative for a 30-day ceasefire and has consented to "immediate" discussions with Russia following negotiations held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, marking over three years since Moscow's invasion of its neighbor.
Additionally, Washington has agreed to reinstate military assistance and intelligence collaboration with Ukraine.
After more than eight hours of discussions with Ukrainian representatives in Jeddah, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the proposal would be presented to Russia.
"Our expectation is that the Russians will respond affirmatively as soon as possible, allowing us to move to the next stage, which involves substantive negotiations," Rubio informed the media.
With Trump exerting significant pressure on Kyiv and reaching out to Moscow, Ukrainian officials approached the discussions eager to mend relations with Washington, suggesting a partial truce regarding air and sea assaults.
Trump's advisors advocated for a more extensive agreement, leading to Ukraine's acceptance of a broader month-long ceasefire proposal.
"Today, we extended an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which involves entering into a ceasefire and commencing immediate negotiations," Rubio stated to reporters after the Jeddah talks.
"We will now present this offer to the Russians, and we hope they will agree to peace. The decision now lies with them."
"If they decline, we will regrettably understand what the obstacle to peace is," Rubio remarked regarding Russia, which initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The United States is set to reinstate military assistance and intelligence sharing that had been suspended following a contentious meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month.
Recent developments prompted Trump to express his willingness to host Zelenskyy at the White House again and indicated a potential conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week.
When asked about the possibility of achieving a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump remarked, "I hope it will be resolved in the next few days; I would like to see that happen."
He added, "We have an important meeting with Russia scheduled for tomorrow, and I am optimistic that fruitful discussions will take place."
In a collaborative announcement, Ukraine and the United States stated their intention to finalize a deal that would grant Washington access to Ukraine's mineral resources "as soon as possible."
Zelenskyy was expected to sign this agreement at the White House prior to the intense confrontation on February 28, during which Trump and Vice President JD Vance challenged the Ukrainian leader over perceived ingratitude.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Trump for the "positive" ceasefire proposal discussed in Jeddah, emphasizing the need for the US to exert pressure on Russia for acceptance.
"The American side is receptive to our arguments and understands our proposals, and I want to thank President Trump for the constructive dialogue between our teams," Zelenskyy stated in his evening address.
