Ukraine and Russia agree to 30‑day ceasefire; talks follow
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told journalists after the conclusion of negotiations in Saudi Arabia, "We’ve gone from if the war is going to end to how the war is going to end".
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz expressed hope on Tuesday for the end of the war in Ukraine after Kyiv accepted a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia and the initiation of negotiations.
- We’ve gone from if the war is going to end to how the war is going to end, Waltz told journalists after the talks in Saudi Arabia. He stated that U.S. President Donald Trump "moved the entire global conversation".
The United States has committed to conveying to Russia that reciprocity from the Kremlin is key to achieving peace. The U.S. also stated that it would reinstate support and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, after both were cut off due to tensions between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump.
Ukraine presented three key demands: the suspension of missile attacks, bombings, and the use of long-range drones; the cessation of warfare in the Black Sea; and concrete confidence-building steps, including the release of Ukrainian prisoners and the return of children taken to Russia.
- Hopefully, we’ll take this offer now to the Russians and we hope that they’ll say yes, that they’ll say yes to peace. The ball’s now in their court - Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters.
As representatives from both nations informed, issues related to the return of children taken by Russians and prisoners of war will be addressed in a second phase.
