The United States announced on Tuesday that it would resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine following high-stakes talks in Saudi Arabia. In a joint statement, both nations confirmed that Kyiv had agreed to a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire in its ongoing war with Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington would now present the proposal to Moscow, emphasizing that the next move rests with Russia.
“The President wanted this war to end yesterday,” Rubio told reporters, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump. “Our hope is that the Russians will say ‘yes’ as quickly as possible, so we can move to the next phase—real negotiations.”
The conflict, now in its third year, has seen Russia make territorial gains, with Moscow currently controlling about one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
Rubio stressed that Washington seeks a comprehensive agreement between both sides without delay.
“Every day that passes, more lives are lost, more people are bombed, more suffering occurs on both sides,” he said.
However, Russia’s response remains uncertain. While Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled openness to peace talks, he has ruled out territorial concessions and demands Ukraine’s full withdrawal from four regions that Moscow claims and partially controls.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was in Saudi Arabia but did not attend the negotiations, called the ceasefire proposal a “positive step.” He clarified that the agreement covers the entire front line of the conflict, not just air and naval operations.
In addition to the ceasefire talks, the U.S. and Ukraine reaffirmed their commitment to finalizing a comprehensive deal on Ukraine’s critical mineral resources. The agreement, which had faced uncertainty following a tense White House meeting between President Trump and Zelenskiy last week, is now expected to be concluded soon.
