YEDA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The United States government lifted its suspension of military aid and intelligence exchange with Ukraine, and Kiev indicated it was willing to accept a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, although it is pending Moscow’s agreement, U.S. and Ukrainian officials reported on Tuesday after meetings held in Saudi Arabia.
PUBLICIDAD
Donald Trump’s decision represents a drastic change from just a week ago, when he imposed measures to pressure Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky to enter negotiations to end the war with the invading Russian forces.
PUBLICIDAD
The suspension of US aid occurred days after Zelensky and Trump discussed in an embarrassing incident about the war in a tense meeting at the White House.
Now everything depends on the Russian response
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who led the U.S. delegation in the talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah, said that Washington would present the ceasefire offer to the Kremlin, which has so far opposed anything other than a permanent end to the conflict without accepting concessions.
“We are going to tell them that this is what is on the table. Ukraine is willing to stop shooting and start talking. And now it will be up to them to say yes or no,” Rubio told reporters after the meeting. “If they say no, then unfortunately we will know what the impediment to peace is here.”
Trump’s National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, added: “The Ukrainian delegation made something very clear today: that they share President Trump’s vision of peace”.
It is planned that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Moscow in the coming days, where he could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
How were the negotiations between the United States and Ukraine?
The discussions on Tuesday, in the Saudi city of Jeddah and lasting almost eight hours, seemed to put an end, at least for now, to the animosity between Trump and Zelensky that erupted during the meeting in the Oval Office last month.
Waltz said that negotiators “went into substantive details on how this war is going to end permanently,” including long-term security guarantees. And, he noted, Trump agreed to immediately lift the suspension on the supply of billions of dollars in U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing.
High-ranking officials began meetings hours after Russia shot down over 300 Ukrainian drones. It was the largest attack by Ukraine since the Kremlin ordered the large-scale invasion of its neighbor. Neither US officials nor Ukrainians offered comments on the matter.
What was Zelensky’s reaction?
Meanwhile, in a speech published shortly after the Tuesday talks ended, Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to achieving lasting peace, emphasizing that the country has sought to end the war since its beginning.
“Our position is absolutely clear: Ukraine has fought for peace since the first second of this war, and we want to do everything possible to achieve it as soon as possible —safely and in a way that ensures that the war will not return,” Zelensky stated.