Ukraine has said that it is ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia proposed by the US, after a day of American conversations in Saudi Arabia.
The American State Secretary Marco Rubio said that he would present the range of Russia and that “the ball is in their court”.
The Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zensky said it was now up to the US to convince Russia to agree to the “positive” proposal.
Tuesday’s conversations in Jeddah were the first official meeting between the two countries since the extraordinary collision between Zensky and US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
In a joint statement, the US also said that the intelligence and security aid would immediately restart with Ukraine, which Washington had suspended after the unprecedented meeting.
“Both delegations agreed to call their negotiation teams and immediately start negotiations on a permanent peace that provides for the long-term safety of Ukraine,” said the US-Ukraine statement.
Rubio told a press conference in Jeddah on Tuesday that he hoped Russia would accept the proposal.
Ukraine was “ready to stop photographing and start talking,” he said, and if Russia rejected the offer “then we will unfortunately know what the obstacle to peace here”.
“Today we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, namely a cease -the fire and immediate negotiations,” he said.
“We will now accept this offer to the Russians and we hope they will say yes to peace. The ball is now in their court,” he added.
The range of a 30-day ceasefire goes beyond Zensky’s proposal for a partial ceasefire in the sea and the air.
The Ukrainian president thanked Trump for “the constructivity” of the conversations in Jeddah.
In a video message, Zensky said that Russia “had to show the willingness to stop the war or continue the war”.
“It’s time for the complete truth,” he added.
In February 2022, Russia launched a complete invasion of Ukraine. Moscow currently checks approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.
In the White House, Trump told reporters, President Putin would “hopefully” agree to the proposal.
He added that he was open to inviting Zensky back to Washington.
Asked by a reporter whether Trump and Zensky’s relationship was “back on the right track”, Rubio said he hoped it was “peace” that was back on track.
“This is not a mean girls, this is not a episode of a television show,” he said.
“Today people will die in this war, they died yesterday and – unfortunately – unless there is a cease – fire, they will die tomorrow.”
The American and Ukrainian teams met after accommodation attacks Killed at least three people in Moscow – Of which Russia said Ukraine had rejected with the use of diplomacy to end the war.
Trump and Zensky also agreed to “complete a critical mineral agreement” as quickly as possible “, according to the joint statement.
Ukraine has offered to give American access to his rare Earth Mineral reserves in exchange for American security guarantees – but this was derailed by the White House.
Rubio said that the deal had not been the subject of Tuesday’s conversations, but was negotiated with Ukrainian and American treasury.
The American delegation in Jeddah also included the American national security adviser Mike Waltz and the envoy Steve Witkoff from the East.
Witkoff has to travel to Russia in the coming days, a source that is familiar with the planning told the BBC, although this could change quickly.
Achieving a fast end of the war in Ukraine has been an important promise for the US president.
He has exerted increasing pressure on Zensky to accept a ceasefire -without offering the immediate security guarantees that the Ukrainian president has insisted.
On Friday, Trump gave a rare threat of further sanctions against Moscow in a push for a deal. Russia is already severely punished by the US about the war.
Trump said he is considering the move Because “Russia at the moment absolutely” beats “Ukraine on the battlefield”.
In the meantime, the war went on the ground on Tuesday.
Three men were killed in the Moscow region In what was described as the largest drone attack on the Russian capital since the start of the entire war in Ukraine.
Another 18 people, including three children, were injured, told health officials the Russian media.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that 337 drones were intercepted about Russia and that 91 of them were shot over the Moscow region.
Ukrainian officials reported Russian Drone attacks on the capital Kiev and various other regions.
Ukraine Air Force said it had shot 79 out of 126 drones that were launched by Russia, as well as a ballistic rocket in the Iskander-M.
It was not immediately clear whether there were victims.
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