Ukraine Has Accepted A 30-Day Ceasefire After The US Agreed To Lift Its Pause On Military Aid
US President Donald Trump had paused all military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office erupted into a massive argument.
Ukraine has accepted a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the war against Russia after the US agreed to lift its pause on military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump had announced the US was pausing all military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office erupted into a massive argument on Feb. 28.
The meeting ended abruptly, with Zelenskyy departing the White House shortly after, without signing a minerals agreement that would have given the US access to rare earth minerals from Ukraine used in technology and weapons.
On Tuesday, March 11, US and Ukrainian officials met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the minerals deal and a ceasefire deal to end the more than three years war.
The proposed 30-day ceasefire deal includes silence in the skies and at sea; safe transportation of shipping goods, releasing prisoners of war and military and civilian detainees; and returning Ukrainian children who were forcibly transferred to Russia, according to Zelenskyy.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said the ceasefire, which can be extended if both sides agree, will begin once Russia also accepts it.
There was no immediate comment from Russia, which had no officials present at the meeting.
"Our hope is that the Russians will answer 'yes' as quickly as possible, so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations," Rubio told reporters, according to Reuters.
Speaking on the same day, Trump told reporters that he thinks he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin “this week” and he hoped a ceasefire would be negotiated in the “coming days,” according to the New York Times.
“Ukraine is ready to accept this proposal—we see it as a positive step and are ready to take it. Now, it is up to the United States to convince Russia to do the same,” Zelenskyy said.
The US and Ukraine also agreed to conclude “as soon as possible” the minerals deal “for developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to expand Ukraine’s economy and guarantee Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security.”
Sofia Hou
Sofia Hou
