Ukraine agrees to 30-day Ceasefire; now it’s up to Russia to respond

Ukraine has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal after a one-day meeting with the United States in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

Following the meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the ball is now in Russia‍‍`s court. 

Rubio made it clear that the United States would be sending the proposal to Moscow, urging them to accept it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed that it was now up to the United States to persuade Russia to accept the "positive" ceasefire proposal. 

"The ball is now in Russia’s court," Rubio said, urging Russia to come to the negotiating table.

This proposal for peace follows a series of tense discussions between Ukraine and the United States. 

In a statement issued after the meeting, the two countries revealed that they had agreed to resume intelligence sharing and military cooperation, which had previously been suspended. 

The statement also outlined the decision to send representative teams from both sides to initiate talks soon, with the goal of securing Ukraine‍‍`s long-term security and establishing peace.

Before the Jeddah talks, Ukraine had proposed a partial ceasefire in the air and sea. 

The U.S. proposal, however, was broader, extending the ceasefire for 30 days.

Zelenskyy also thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his constructive role in the talks. 

In a video message, Zelenskyy stated that it was now crucial for Russia to show whether it genuinely wants to end the war or continue it. 

"This is the time for the truth to be revealed," he said.

While Russia has not yet responded to the ceasefire proposal, there are mixed signals coming from the Russian side. 

Russian lawmaker Konstantin Kosachev, who chairs the Federation Council‍‍`s International Relations Committee, has stated that any agreement would be made on Russia’s terms, not America’s. 

"The real agreement is yet to be written," he remarked, hinting at Russia’s ongoing military advancements in Ukraine.

The conflict began in February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Over the past three years, Russian forces have captured almost one-fifth of Ukraine‍‍`s territory.

Meanwhile, President Trump has indicated that he plans to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

He expressed hope that Putin would accept the peace proposal and reiterated that both sides need to agree for the conflict to end. 

Trump also mentioned that he was willing to invite Zelenskyy back to Washington for further discussions.

In Moscow, there were reports of a deadly drone attack, which resulted in the deaths of at least three people. 

Russia claims that the attack highlights Ukraine‍‍`s rejection of peace talks.

The U.S. and Ukraine also discussed a potential agreement related to rare mineral resources during their talks. 

The two sides had agreed to give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves in exchange for long-term security assurances. 

However, the discussions on this issue were not part of Tuesday’s meeting, although financial ministries from both countries had been in talks before.

Rubio clarified that the talks did not cover the mineral agreement but mentioned that there had been communication between the finance ministries of the U.S. and Ukraine.

In Jeddah, the U.S. delegation was joined by White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. 

Witkoff is also expected to visit Russia in the coming days, although that trip might change.

The U.S. and Ukraine have called for the involvement of European leaders in peace talks, with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen referring to the meeting as a "positive development."

This latest development has raised hopes for a possible breakthrough in the long-standing conflict. 

However, with both sides still firm in their positions, the next few days could prove critical for the future of peace efforts.