Ukraine on Tuesday backed a US proposal for a 30-day general ceasefire with Russia, with the United States in turn agreeing to lift restrictions on military aid and intelligence sharing, a joint statement said according to news agency AFP.
After talks in Saudi Arabia, the two sides also agreed to conclude “as soon as possible” a deal on Ukrainian minerals, the statement said.
A few days ago, US President Donald Trump ordered a “pause” on US military aid to Ukraine following a tense Oval Office meeting, aiming to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy toward peace talks with Russia.
The White House also announced a review and temporary pause on aid to ensure it supports a peaceful resolution.
“The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution,” a White House official said anonymously.
The official said that all US military equipment not yet in Ukraine would be halted, including weapons en route by air or sea and those held in transit areas in Poland. Trump directed defence secretary Pete Hegseth to implement the pause, the source added.
Earlier, ahead of the meetings between American and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia to negotiate peace, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said that he was determined to do everything to end the Russia-Ukraine war .
The meeting marked the first high-level engagement between US and Ukrainian officials since Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump on February 28. He also revealed that Ukraine’s diplomatic team met with UK officials in Kyiv to discuss joint efforts to accelerate peace talks.