Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that Kyiv had accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire covering the entire frontline. The proposal put forward during high-stakes negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marks a significant shift in diplomatic efforts to pause hostilities.
However, its success hinges on Russia’s willingness to reciprocate—a move that remains uncertain as Moscow continues military advances.
Following an intense eight-hour discussion between U.S. and Ukrainian officials, Zelensky emphasized that the responsibility now lies with Washington to secure Moscow’s compliance.
“Ukraine accepts this proposal. We consider it positive, and we are ready to take such a step. The United States of America must convince Russia to do so,” Zelensky stated, adding that the ceasefire would be implemented the moment the Kremlin agrees.
U.S. Resumes Military Aid to Ukraine
In a joint statement released after the Jeddah meeting, the United States confirmed that it would immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine. The decision reverses an earlier stance taken by the Biden administration and later continued under President Donald Trump, which had temporarily halted aid as Washington pressured Kyiv to negotiate a peace deal.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who played a key role in the discussions, underscored that the onus was now on Russia to take concrete steps toward peace.
“We hope that they’ll say yes, that they’ll say yes to peace. The ball is now in their court,” Rubio stated.
A senior Ukrainian official confirmed on Tuesday that U.S. security assistance had already resumed, signaling Washington’s commitment to backing Kyiv despite its shift toward diplomacy.
Trump Welcomes Ceasefire, Plans Talks with Putin
Trump responded positively to the ceasefire acceptance, vowing to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days.
“Hopefully, President Putin will agree to that also, and we can get this show on the road,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
The announcement is a major diplomatic breakthrough, particularly in light of Trump’s recent public fallout with Zelensky. Just weeks earlier, tensions between Washington and Kyiv had escalated after Trump criticized Ukraine’s reluctance to engage in peace talks.
Trump acknowledged the shift in dynamics, referring to his past confrontation with Zelensky.
“I think it’s a very big, very big difference between the last visit you saw in the Oval Office. And that’s a total ceasefire,” he said.
Despite his optimism, Trump cautioned that if Russia refuses the deal, the war will persist.
“Ukraine has agreed to it, and hopefully, Russia will agree to it. We’re going to meet with them later today and tomorrow, and hopefully, we’ll be able to work out a deal,” he said. “But I think the ceasefire is very important. If we can get Russia to do it, that’ll be great. If we can’t, we just keep going on, and people are going to get killed.”
Key Elements of the Ceasefire Proposal
The U.S.-Ukraine joint statement emphasized that Kyiv had agreed to an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended if mutually agreed upon by all parties.
The terms of the ceasefire include a complete halt to military operations across the entire frontline, ensuring that neither side engages in aerial bombardments or naval confrontations. It also includes the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war as a key trust-building measure and the return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia, addressing a major humanitarian concern.
Additionally, the two sides agreed to finalize a rare minerals trade deal aimed at boosting Ukraine’s economy and securing its long-term stability.
Russia’s Lukewarm Response
However, Russia has yet to formally respond to the proposal, with sources indicating that Putin remains hesitant to embrace the ceasefire without additional guarantees.
A senior Russian official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, expressed skepticism about the proposal’s viability, arguing that Moscow’s recent battlefield gains put it in a stronger negotiating position.
“It is difficult for Putin to agree to this in its current form,” the source said. “Putin has a strong position because Russia is advancing.”
Russian forces currently control nearly 20% of Ukraine’s territory, up from the 7% Moscow held before its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Institute for the Study of War reports that Russia occupies almost the entire Luhansk region, a significant portion of Donetsk, and the majority of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
With Ukraine’s position weakening in some contested regions, Russia may view the ceasefire as a tactical setback rather than a diplomatic opportunity.
A second Russian source warned that accepting a ceasefire without guarantees could undermine Moscow’s strategic advantage.
“Without guarantees, Russia’s position could swiftly become weaker, and then Russia could be blamed by the West for failing to end the war,” the source stated.
A third source claimed that the U.S. ceasefire proposal was merely a pretext for resuming military aid to Ukraine while publicly framing it as a peace initiative.
Putin’s Stance: No Short-Term Truce, Only a Permanent Settlement
Putin himself has repeatedly ruled out temporary ceasefires, insisting that Russia seeks a lasting peace based on its own terms.
“We don’t need a truce; we need a long-term peace secured by guarantees for the Russian Federation and its citizens,” Putin said in December.
In January, he reinforced this position during a Security Council meeting.
“There should not be a short truce or some kind of respite for regrouping forces and rearmament with the aim of subsequently continuing the conflict, but a long-term peace,” he said.
Putin’s preconditions for peace, as outlined in June 2023, include Ukraine officially abandoning its NATO ambitions and withdrawing its troops from all occupied regions Moscow has claimed as part of Russia. With Russia controlling most of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, the Kremlin is unlikely to accept a deal that does not guarantee full control over these territories.
Europe Supports Ceasefire, But Doubts Persist
European leaders welcomed the ceasefire proposal, viewing it as a crucial step toward ending hostilities. The European Union called the development positive, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed it as a remarkable breakthrough. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna praised the initiative but reminded that the responsibility rests solely on Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s state media remains skeptical, with Rossiya 24 describing U.S. Secretary of State Rubio’s remarks as naive given Ukraine’s history with Moscow. Russian lawmaker Konstantin Kosachev went further, stating that any agreements must be on Russia’s terms, not America’s and that the real agreements are being written on the battlefield.
With Ukraine on board and the U.S. pressing for peace, all eyes are now on Russia’s next move. If Moscow rejects the ceasefire, Ukraine and its Western allies may double down on military assistance, prolonging the war. However, if Putin engages in negotiations, it could mark the first real step toward de-escalation in nearly two years.
