Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about securing a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine, following high-level talks between the United States and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said he planned to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin and hoped for progress on a proposed 30-day cessation of hostilities.
"We have significant discussions with Russia scheduled for tomorrow, and we’re hopeful for productive talks," Trump told reporters. He added that he expected an agreement to be reached in the coming days.
The U.S.-Ukraine negotiations in Saudi Arabia resulted in a joint declaration, with Kyiv agreeing to a month-long ceasefire proposed by Washington. As part of the deal, the U.S. announced the immediate resumption of intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, which had been paused due to tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy, in his nightly address on social media, confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to implement the truce, which would include a halt to missile, drone, and aerial attacks across the entire frontline and the Black Sea region. "We see this as a constructive step and are prepared to proceed," he stated, emphasizing that Russia must now demonstrate its willingness to de-escalate.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following the talks, said the ceasefire proposal would be formally presented to Moscow. "If Russia rejects it, the world will clearly see who is blocking peace efforts," Rubio remarked. Meanwhile, Senator Lindsey Graham warned of imposing severe sanctions on Russia if it declined to cooperate. "Russia must face serious economic consequences for its aggressive invasion of Ukraine," Graham asserted.
The Kremlin responded cautiously, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that it was premature to comment on the proposal. He confirmed that Russia was awaiting further details from the U.S. via diplomatic channels. While he did not rule out a potential call between Putin and Trump, he clarified that no such conversation had been scheduled yet.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged the possibility of talks with U.S. officials in the near future but stressed that Moscow’s stance would be determined internally rather than influenced by external agreements.
Senior Russian politician Konstantin Kosachev criticized the proposed ceasefire, arguing that Ukraine was merely following Washington’s directives. He insisted that any negotiations must be based on Russia’s terms.
Putin has consistently maintained that Russia seeks a comprehensive settlement rather than a short-term truce. The Kremlin has set conditions, including Ukraine abandoning its NATO aspirations and recognizing Russian control over occupied territories.
Despite diplomatic efforts, fighting persisted overnight. Russian strikes killed five people in Ukraine, including one in Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih. In Odesa, four individuals—reportedly Syrian nationals—died after Russia targeted a cargo ship heading to Algeria. Additional attacks damaged homes and infrastructure in Kharkiv and the Dnipropetrovsk region.
While the ceasefire proposal remains uncertain, all eyes are now on Russia’s response in the coming days.
