The U.S. Department of State has announced that Washington will lift the blockade on military aid to Ukraine and resume intelligence sharing with the European country, which was invaded by Russia three years ago. As part of the agreement, Kyiv has accepted the White House’s proposal for an “immediate and provisional” 30-day ceasefire with Moscow and has committed to finalizing as soon as possible a pact allowing the United States to exploit part of Ukraine’s mineral resources.
The joint statement, issued from Washington, was made public following an eight-hour meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between delegations from both countries. This meeting marked an initial step toward reconciliation after the tense February 28 incident at the White House, where Volodymyr Zelensky was harshly reprimanded and expelled by Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. This time, Ukrainian representatives abandoned their military attire and attended in formal suits, setting the stage for future peace negotiations with Russia.
The statement highlights that both delegations have agreed to “immediately begin negotiations to achieve a lasting peace that ensures Ukraine’s long-term security.” Although specific guarantees were not mentioned, the U.S. has pledged to “immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine.” Now that Kyiv has accepted the proposed terms, “the United States will communicate to Russia that its reciprocity is key to achieving peace.”
In the coming days, both countries will appoint negotiating teams to oversee the 30-day ceasefire, which may be extended by mutual agreement and will depend on Russia’s simultaneous acceptance and implementation.
At the conclusion of the meeting in Jeddah, Zelensky issued a statement affirming that “Ukraine is ready for peace. Russia must show whether it is willing to end the war or continue it. The time for absolute truth has come.” He also detailed that his proposal to the U.S. delegation included three key points: the immediate cessation of aerial and naval attacks, as well as “concrete measures to restore trust,” including the release of prisoners by both sides.
“The U.S. understands our arguments and accepts our proposals. I want to thank President Trump for the constructive attitude in the discussions between our teams,” Zelensky stated. He also confirmed that the U.S. proposed a total 30-day ceasefire along the entire frontline, including the Black Sea, and that Ukraine accepts this proposal and is ready to comply.
Before the meeting, Zelensky’s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak, asserted that “we are willing to do everything necessary to achieve peace.” Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on the flight to Jeddah that his goal was to assess whether Kyiv was “ready to make difficult decisions, just as the Russians will have to, in order to end this conflict.” The delegations held more than three hours of morning talks described as “constructive,” before resuming discussions in the afternoon for several more hours.
Rubio led the U.S. delegation, accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. During the tense prior meeting at the White House, the Secretary of State had remained silent while Trump and Vance reprimanded Zelensky. However, his presence in Jeddah, without Trump or Vance, appears to have facilitated the resumption of negotiations.
At the end of the meeting, Rubio told the press that “Trump wanted this war to end yesterday” and expressed optimism that Moscow would respond positively to the ceasefire agreement: “The ball is in their court.” He also emphasized that the mineral resources agreement was not the central issue of the meeting, unlike the discussion at the White House. “This is a matter negotiated between our Treasury and its Ukrainian counterpart. Both presidents have given instructions to finalize the agreement,” he added. When asked whether relations between Zelensky and Trump had normalized after their confrontation, he responded bluntly: “What is truly back here is peace.”
Following the failed White House meeting, in which Trump determined that Zelensky was “not ready for peace,” the U.S. blocked previously approved military aid and halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine. A week later, Zelensky expressed on social media his willingness to “work under Trump’s strong leadership” and to resume talks on the mineral resources agreement. This shift in stance was well received by Trump during his recent speech before Congress, accelerating the meeting in Saudi Arabia.
Despite diplomatic progress, the fighting has not ceased. Russia retains control over 20% of Ukrainian territory and, in the past week, intensified attacks with 80 missiles, 1,200 glide bombs, and 900 drones targeting Ukrainian cities. In response, Ukraine launched the largest recorded aerial attack since the war began, deploying more than 330 drones across various Russian regions, including Moscow province.
The Kremlin, through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, warned that these attacks could “jeopardize the ongoing dialogue process.” Additionally, Moscow has recently regained a large part of the southwestern Kursk region, where Ukraine had launched an incursion last month, claiming to have retaken more than 100 square kilometers.
European leaders welcomed the progress made in Jeddah. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the agreement “could represent a step toward a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine.” They also reaffirmed that the European Union “stands ready to play an active role” in the negotiations.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Ukraine and the U.S. for this “remarkable breakthrough” and reiterated the delegations’ message: “The ball is now in Russia’s court.” He also announced plans to convene a virtual meeting of nations willing to support the ceasefire to determine the next steps toward a “fair and permanent” end to the war.
