By The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it would immediately restore military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, reversing a suspension imposed over a week ago. The decision coincides with ongoing diplomatic discussions in Saudi Arabia, where Ukraine has indicated its willingness to negotiate a temporary ceasefire with Russia, provided the Kremlin agrees.
In a joint statement, U.S. and Ukrainian officials confirmed that Ukraine has accepted a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire plan, which could be extended if both sides agree. “Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the U.S. 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 says. “The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.”
The plan requires Russia’s cooperation to take effect, writes Fox News.
“We’ll take this offer now to the Russians, and we hope that they’ll say yes,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters.
Rubio, standing alongside national security advisor Mike Waltz, did not detail exactly what was in this agreement, but according to a readout provided by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, Kyiv has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire contingent on Moscow’s acceptance of the terms.
“We hope the Russians answer to that,” Rubio said. “The best goodwill gesture the Russians can provide is to say yes.”
In response to Kyiv’s willingness to accept Washington’s hard-fought preliminary proposal, President Donald Trump agreed to lift the pause on U.S. security assistance to Ukraine “effective immediately” and renewed U.S. intelligence sharing.
Rubio said if and once Moscow agrees to this preliminary agreement, the real negotiations can commence.
I received a report from our delegation on their meeting with the American team in Saudi Arabia. The discussion lasted most of the day and was good and constructive—our teams were able to discuss many important details.
Our position remains absolutely clear: Ukraine has been… pic.twitter.com/7EZXTVA52C
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 11, 2025
Rubio, who’s heading the talks in Saudi Arabia, said that Ukraine will likely have to concede some territory that Russia had taken over the past decade in order to secure the peace.
“The most important thing that we have to leave here with is a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared to do difficult things, like the Russians are going to have to do difficult things to end this conflict or at least pause it in some way, shape or form,” Mr. Rubio told reporters.
“I think both sides need to come to an understanding that there’s no military solution to this situation,” Mr. Rubio said. “The Russians can’t conquer all of Ukraine, and obviously it’ll be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to sort of force the Russians back all the way to where they were in 2014.”
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz reinforced Washington’s commitment to diplomacy, confirming upcoming talks with his Russian counterpart. He also highlighted that Ukrainian officials have expressed support for President Trump’s diplomatic strategy, aligning with the U.S. administration’s broader efforts to find a resolution to the conflict.
This decision represents a significant shift in U.S. policy following last week’s temporary suspension of military assistance, a move widely seen as an effort to push Kyiv toward negotiations. With military aid now reinstated, attention turns to whether Russia will engage in meaningful ceasefire discussions or continue its military operations.
News of the ceasefire plan came on the heels of Zelensky sending an apology letter for how he acted in the White House earlier in the year when he appeared to threaten the United States, telling the president and vice president that Russia would attack America without Ukraine. The letter aims to repair relations after what Steve Witkoff, the special envoy to Ukraine, described as a “regrettable” encounter.
While the ceasefire proposal presents an opportunity for diplomacy, experts remain cautious. Moscow has not yet responded, and previous attempts at negotiation have broken down over disputes related to territorial control and security guarantees. The United States, meanwhile, continues to emphasize its unwavering support for Ukraine, ensuring that military assistance will persist even as it pursues a diplomatic resolution. Whether Russia seizes this moment for peace or dismisses it remains uncertain.
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