Ukraine prepared to just accept 30-day ceasefire with Russia proposed by US

Ukraine has mentioned it is able to settle for an instantaneous 30-day ceasefire with Russia proposed by the US, after a day of US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned he would current the provide to Russia and that “the ball is of their court docket”.

Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky mentioned it was now as much as the US to persuade Russia to conform to the “optimistic” proposal.

Tuesday’s talks in Jeddah had been the primary official assembly between the 2 international locations because the extraordinary conflict between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump within the Oval Workplace.

In a joint assertion, the US additionally mentioned it will instantly restart intelligence sharing and safety help to Ukraine, which Washington had suspended after the unprecedented assembly.

“Each delegations agreed to call their negotiating groups and instantly start negotiations towards a permanent peace that gives for Ukraine’s long-term safety,” the US-Ukraine assertion mentioned.

Rubio informed a press convention in Jeddah late on Tuesday that he hoped Russia would settle for the proposal.

Ukraine was “able to cease capturing and begin speaking,” he mentioned, and if Russia rejected the provide “then we’ll sadly know what the obstacle is to peace right here”.

“As we speak we made a proposal that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter right into a ceasefire and into instant negotiations,” he mentioned.

“We’ll take this provide now to the Russians and we hope they will say sure to peace. The ball is now of their court docket,” he added.

The provide of a 30-day ceasefire goes past Zelensky’s proposal for a partial truce within the sea and sky.

The Ukrainian president thanked Trump for “the constructiveness” of the talks in Jeddah.

In a video message, Zelensky mentioned Russia needed to “present its willingness to cease the struggle or proceed the struggle”.

“It’s time for the total fact,” he added.

Moscow has not but responded. The Kremlin mentioned earlier on Tuesday it will concern a press release after being briefed by Washington on the end result of the talks.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow presently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

On the White Home, Trump informed reporters he would communicate with President Putin, who would “hopefully” conform to the proposal.

“It takes to 2 tango, as they are saying,” Trump mentioned, including he hoped the deal can be agreed within the subsequent few days.

“We now have a giant assembly with Russia tomorrow, and a few nice conversations hopefully will ensue.”

He added that he was open to inviting Zelensky again to Washington.

Russian Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned Russia had not dominated out talks with US representatives within the subsequent few days, in response to Russia’s state-owned information company Tass.

Requested by a reporter if Trump and Zelensky’s relationship was “again on observe,” Rubio mentioned he hoped it was “peace” that was again on observe.

“This isn’t Imply Ladies, this isn’t some episode of some tv present” he mentioned.

“As we speak folks will die on this struggle, they died yesterday and – sadly – except there is a ceasefire, they may die tomorrow.”

The US and Ukrainian groups met after in a single day drone assaults killed no less than three folks in Moscow – which Russia mentioned confirmed Ukraine had rejected utilizing diplomacy to finish the struggle.

Trump and Zelensky have additionally agreed to finalise “as quickly as doable” a crucial minerals deal, the joint assertion mentioned.

Ukraine has provided to grant the US entry to its uncommon earth mineral reserves in alternate for US safety ensures – however this was derailed by the White Home row.

Rubio mentioned the deal had not been the topic of Tuesday’s talks, however had been negotiated with Ukrainian and US treasuries.

The US delegation in Jeddah additionally included US nationwide safety advisor Mike Waltz and Center East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff is because of journey to Russia within the coming days, a supply conversant in the planning informed the BBC, though this might change shortly.

Reaching a swift finish to the struggle in Ukraine has been a key pledge for the US president.

He has positioned rising stress on Zelensky to just accept a ceasefire, with out providing the instant safety ensures insisted upon by the Ukrainian president.

On Friday, Trump issued a uncommon menace of additional sanctions in opposition to Moscow in a push for a deal. Russia is already closely sanctioned by the US over the struggle.

Trump mentioned he was considering the transfer as a result of “Russia is totally ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield proper now”.

In the meantime, the struggle continued on the bottom on Tuesday.

Three males had been killed within the Moscow area in what was described as the biggest drone assault on the Russian capital because the begin of the full-scale struggle in Ukraine.

An additional 18 folks, together with three kids, had been injured, well being officers informed Russian media.

The Russian defence ministry mentioned 337 drones had been intercepted over Russia and 91 of them had been shot down over the Moscow area.

Ukrainian officers reported Russian drone assaults on the capital Kyiv and several other different areas.

Ukraine’s air drive mentioned it had shot down 79 of 126 drones launched by Russia, in addition to an Iskander-M ballistic missile.

It was not instantly clear whether or not there have been any casualties.