The United States and Ukraine have announced a significant breakthrough in their efforts to end the conflict with Russia. Following marathon talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, which can be extended by mutual agreement.
The agreement was reached after more than eight hours of negotiations between Ukrainian officials and a US delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. As part of the deal, Washington has pledged to immediately lift its freeze on intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine.
In a joint statement, the US and Ukraine emphasized that Russian reciprocity is key to achieving peace. The US will communicate this to Russia, and Steve Witkoff, the US Middle East envoy, will travel to Russia in the coming days to facilitate the process.
The ceasefire agreement is a significant development, especially since Ukraine has been relying heavily on US and Western support in its fight against Russia since the full-scale invasion in 2022. The US had previously frozen military aid to Ukraine, but this move has now been reversed, with roughly $3.8 billion in equipment set to be released.
However, it remains to be seen whether Russia will support the ceasefire. The ball is now in Russia’s court, as Secretary of State Rubio put it.
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: this breakthrough offers a glimmer of hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The coming days and weeks will be crucial in determining the success of this agreement.