GistNexus – March 12, 2025.

In a dramatic shift towards peace, Ukraine has agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire offered by the US, following high-level negotiations in Saudi Arabia. The move, pending Russian agreement, is intended to bring all fighting in the war to an end and could pave the way for longer-term peace talks. The ceasefire proposal was made after a grueling day of talks in Jeddah. It is the climax of the global diplomatic effort to bring an end to the war, which began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

US to Present Ceasefire Proposal to Russia

The United States, under the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will present the proposal to Moscow, and it is up to the Russian leadership to decide. Rubio, during a press conference in Jeddah, stated, “The ball is in their court.” The US has signaled that if Russia rejects the offer, the world will know who is blocking peace.

The proposal comes on the heels of a tumultuous period in US-Ukrainian relations, after an unprecedented public feud between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky towards the end of last month. The Tuesday Jeddah talks were the first official summit between the two countries since the standoff. The US and Ukraine, in a communiqué, jointly reiterated their commitment to pursuing a peace agreement and a long-term security for Ukraine.

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“We are open to ceasing the firing and starting to negotiate,” Rubio emphasized. “Ukraine has adopted this offer, and we want Russia to follow suit.”

Reviving Intelligence Sharing and Security Support

The US delegation also unveiled a significant change in the American backing of Ukraine. In a sign of the enhanced relations, Washington will resume sharing intelligence and military assistance to Kyiv at once. Those significant steps had been suspended after the publicized fall-out between Zelensky and Trump, but both countries now appear committed to restoring their collaboration.

The reactivation of armed support was also an essential component of the negotiations, in addition to what was uttered regarding the current struggle and requirements for Ukraine on front lines. Out of the US-Ukrainian negotiations emerged confirmation that the countries have reached agreement to nominate respective negotiation teams to engage on bringing about permanent peace.

Zelensky, Ukrainian officials back Ceasefire

While Zelensky himself did not make the trip to Saudi Arabia for the negotiations, his government actively endorsed the ceasefire initiative. The Ukrainian president expressed gratitude to the US for its “constructiveness” in the negotiations, declaring in a video message that Ukraine is ready for peace if Russia is ready to demonstrate the same commitment. “The time has come for the full truth,” Zelensky declared, calling on Moscow to choose between continuing the conflict or finding peace.

He added that Ukraine’s willingness to sign a ceasefire deal hinges on Russia’s adherence to the same terms, including halting missile, drone, and bomb attacks along the front lines and in the Black Sea.

Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine has done all it can since the war began to achieve peace and wishes to end the war as soon as and as safely as possible without further bloodshed. “Russia must show if it is going to end the war or extend it,” he stated.

Russian Response Unconfirmed

Moscow’s response to the ceasefire initiative remains unclear. The Kremlin has not issued an official statement yet but vowed to say something after evaluating the outcomes of the Jeddah talks. Russian lawmakers have already taken their stance, however. Kostantin Kosachev, chairman of the Federation Council’s foreign affairs committee, indicated that any potential agreements would be “on our terms, not American,” emphasizing Russia’s continued military successes in Ukraine.

Kosachev’s remark is reflective of Russia’s long-standing position of not conceding on its objectives for the war even as Ukraine has been calling for a negotiated peace. Russia currently controls some 20% of Ukrainian land, and relations along the front lines remain tense.

Trump’s Role in Mediation

Outgoing President Donald Trump, who was at the centre of brokering the ceasefire talks, was hopeful of the chances of peace. During a speech to the press, Trump said he would be having direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly and hoped the Russian leader would be ready to take the offer. “It takes two to tango,” Trump said to the press corps, hoping that both sides would reach an agreement within the next few days.

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The Trump administration, which previously imposed sanctions on Ukraine to coerce them into negotiations, has now pledged to lift the sanctions. The decision to reinstate intelligence cooperation and military aid to Ukraine represents a shift in the administration’s policy, focusing on diplomatic initiatives towards ending the war.

Ramping Up Pressure on Russia

With the US to unveil the proposal for ceasefire with Russia, there are growing indications that Moscow is also coming under growing international pressure. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said that Russia would not rule out talks with US officials but reiterated that all deals would have to be in Russia’s interests. Meanwhile, US officials are convinced that the ceasefire proposal can lead to a broader peace deal, with some analysts speculating that Russia might eventually agree to the terms to ease the current international and domestic pressures it is facing.

The Future of Peace Talks

While Russia’s initial response remains to be seen, the Jeddah talks mark a dramatic turn in the diplomatic landscape. With both the US and Ukraine now on the same page in calling for a ceasefire, the world waits with bated breath for Moscow’s action. If Moscow agrees to the offer of a ceasefire, it could mark the start of a long and protracted journey towards lasting peace. But if Russia rejects the offer, the path forward for bringing an end to the war could become more uncertain.

As things go along, the world will be watching closely as this diplomatic breakthrough unfolds, hoping that this could pave the way for the end of the devastating war that has consumed Ukraine for over three years.

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