Taking a dizzying turnaround from the Oval Office row between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump, US on Tuesday lifted its suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine, while Kyiv has expressed openness to a 30-day ceasefire—and the ball is “now in Russia’s court”.
The ceasefire agreement was announced in a joint statement following the high-level talks in Jeddah, nearly two weeks after Oval Office clash. The heated exchange had led the White House to temporarily suspend military aid to Ukraine, despite strong objections from European allies. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington would now present the ceasefire proposal to the Kremlin.
“We’re going to tell them this is what’s on the table. Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking. And now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no,” Rubio said. “If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.”
National security adviser Mike Waltz echoed this sentiment, saying, “The Ukrainian delegation today made something very clear, that they share President Trump’s vision for peace.” He added that discussions had focused on “substantive details on how this war is going to permanently end,” including long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, President Trump himself expressed hope that Vladimir Putin would reciprocate Ukraine’s commitment to a 30-day ceasefire, marking what could be the first truce in over three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
“That’s a total ceasefire,” Trump told reporters outside the White House on Tuesday. “Ukraine has agreed to it. And hopefully Russia will agree to it.”
The Jeddah talks
The Jeddah talks come as Russia launched a major drone attack on Ukraine—shooting down over 300 drones in Kyiv’s biggest offensive since the start of the war. Meanwhile, Ukraine retaliated with its own strikes, targeting 10 Russian regions.
According to a report by AP citing sources familiar with the matter, President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, may travel to Moscow later this week to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin—although plans remain fluid.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz speak with the media following meetings with a Ukrainian delegation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2025. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)In a joint statement, Ukraine confirmed its readiness to accept the US proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended by mutual agreement—provided that Russia accepts and implements it concurrently.
Following the talks, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Trump in a televised address, emphasising Ukraine’s commitment to achieving lasting peace.
“Ukraine is ready to accept this proposal—we see it as a positive step and are ready to take it,” Zelenskyy said. “Now, it is up to the United States to conv
“The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace,” the statement read.
Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak later told reporters that the focus was on “how to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.” He stressed that security guarantees were essential to prevent future Russian aggression.
Tensions between Kyiv and Washington
The meeting was the first between US and Ukrainian officials since the heated Oval Office confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy last month. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister was also present, with US, Saudi, and Ukrainian flags displayed in the background.
The delegations met for three hours in the morning before taking a break, and discussions resumed in the afternoon.ince Russia to do the same. If Russia agrees, the ceasefire will take effect immediately.”
Meanwhile, neither Ukraine nor the US immediately commented on Ukraine’s massive drone strike, which involved 343 drones and left three dead and 18 wounded, including three children. Russia retaliated by launching 126 drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine, continuing its pattern of targeting civilian areas.
President European leaders welcomed the ceasefire agreement, calling it a positive step toward peace. European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU is ready to play its full part in the process.
French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed France’s commitment to a solid and lasting peace, backed by robust security guarantees for Ukraine.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also supported the agreement, urging all parties to redouble efforts for a lasting peace and announcing that he would convene leaders on Saturday to discuss the next steps.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia would be informed about the results of the Jeddah talks, calling it “normal practice.”
The Kremlin has yet to make any concessions. Moscow insists that Ukraine must abandon its NATO bid and recognize Russia’s territorial control over occupied regions. Russia currently controls nearly 20% of Ukraine’s territory.Russian forces have held the battlefield advantage for more than a year, despite significant losses, and continue to push forward in the Donetsk region against Ukraine’s weary and understrength army.
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