Back deal and ceasefire will kick in, Zelensky tells Putin

Ukraine has accepted Donald Trump’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia during crunch talks in Saudi Arabia in which the US agreed to lift its pause on intelligence sharing and “security assistance”.

- CHRIS STEVENSON

After more than eight hours of talks in the coastal city of Jeddah between US and Ukrainian officials, there was fresh optimism that peace talks were back on track after last month’s calamitous meeting between the US president and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Trump administration subsequently suspended intelligence sharing and military aid with Ukraine in order to pressure Mr Zelensky to enter talks to end the war with Vladimir Putin’s invading forces.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said he would now take the offer to the Russians, and that the “ball is now in Moscow’s court”.

“The president wanted this war to end yesterday ... So our hope is that the Russians will answer ‘yes’ as quickly as possible, so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations,” Mr Rubio told reporters, referring to President Trump, after the statement was issued.

Shortly after the deal was announced, Mr Trump said he would “absolutely” welcome Mr Zelensky back to the White House for another visit.

In a joint statement between the two countries, Ukraine said it “expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation”.

The statement added: “The United States will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine.”

Mr Zelensky, who was in Saudi Arabia but did not participate in the talks, said the ceasefire was a “positive proposal” that covers the front line in the conflict, not just fighting by air and sea.