Kyiv has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Tuesday, following high-stakes negotiations in Saudi Arabia. The agreement, which covers the entire front line, is contingent on Russia’s acceptance.
“Ukraine accepts this proposal, we consider it positive, we are ready to take such a step, and the United States of America must convince Russia to do so,” Zelensky said after an eight-hour meeting with U.S. officials in Jeddah.
The U.S. has pledged to resume intelligence sharing and security assistance to Ukraine immediately. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the next move lies with Moscow. “We hope that they’ll say yes to peace. The ball is now in their court,” he stated.
President Donald Trump welcomed the development and said he would discuss the plan with Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week. “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,” Trump remarked at the White House.
European leaders quickly endorsed the ceasefire, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailing it as a “remarkable breakthrough” and the EU calling it a “positive development.” However, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that “the responsibility rests solely on Russia.”
Despite the diplomatic push, tensions remain high. Hours before the talks, Russia reported one of the largest Ukrainian drone attacks since the war began, with Moscow claiming to have downed 337 drones. Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to advance in contested regions, reinforcing the urgency of a potential ceasefire.
Zelensky’s ceasefire terms include an end to air and sea hostilities, the release of Ukrainian prisoners, and the return of children taken to Russia. For now, Ukraine and its allies wait to see if Moscow will reciprocate—determining whether the ceasefire marks a turning point or yet another stalled attempt at peace.
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