On Tuesday, Ukraine accepted a deal proposed by the Trump administration during a significant meeting in Saudi Arabia. This marks a crucial step toward securing a ceasefire agreement and ending the ongoing war with Russia.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters, "We’ll take this offer now to the Russians, and we hope that they’ll say yes."
While standing alongside National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Rubio did not provide specific details about the agreement. However, a readout from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office indicates that Kyiv has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, contingent upon Moscow’s acceptance of the terms.
Rubio expressed hope that "the Russians answer to that." He added, "The best goodwill gesture the Russians can provide is to say yes."
In response to Ukraine’s acceptance of the hard-fought preliminary proposal from Washington, President Donald Trump has agreed to lift the pause on U.S. security assistance to Ukraine "effective immediately" and has renewed intelligence sharing.
Rubio stated that if Moscow agrees to this preliminary arrangement, the real negotiations would begin. "This is very serious. Today, people will die in this war. They died yesterday, and sadly, unless there’s a ceasefire tonight, they’ll die tomorrow," he said. "The President wants that to stop."
RUBIO SAYS MINERAL DEAL ‘NOT MAIN TOPIC ON AGENDA’ IN UKRAINE MEETING
Waltz mentioned, "We’ve gone from if this war is going to end to how this war is going to end." The return of children abducted by Russia and the return of prisoners of war will be addressed in the "second phase" of negotiations.
Waltz confirmed that discussions between the Trump administration and the Ukrainian delegation covered "substantive details" on security guarantees to ensure lasting peace between both nations, although neither Kyiv nor Washington have yet confirmed the specifics.
"Both delegations agreed to name their negotiating teams and immediately begin negotiations toward an enduring peace that provides for Ukraine’s long-term security," the readout indicated. "The United States committed to discussing these specific proposals with representatives from Russia."
The Ukrainian delegation also reiterated that European partners should be involved in the peace process.
Rubio noted that a mineral deal will be discussed at a later date, emphasizing, "We were here in pursuit of peace. That doesn’t mean the mineral deal is not very important."
