Now, It’s Up to Russia
A delegation led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (seated at table, second from left) meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (seated at table, third from left); Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (seated at table, third from right); and other U.S., Saudi, and Ukrainian officials as they attend a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11.Salah Malkawi/Getty Images
The United States agreed to immediately lift its pause on all military aid and intelligence-sharing to Kyiv on Tuesday following talks with senior Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In turn, Ukraine expressed willingness to enact a 30-day cease-fire with Russia and enter immediate negotiations to establish an “enduring and sustainable” end to the conflict—so long as Moscow agrees to do the same.
“The ball is now in [Russia]’s court,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “I hope they’re going to say yes. And if they do, then I think we’ve made great progress. If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.”
Tuesday’s meeting also discussed humanitarian relief efforts; the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children, a war crime that the International Criminal Court has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of orchestrating; the exchange of prisoners of war; and the establishment of a U.S. rare-earths deal with Ukraine.
“Our respective presidents have instructed the appropriate members of their governments to bring this to finality and to conclusion,” Rubio said on Tuesday regarding the critical minerals deal.
This was the first time that high-level U.S. and Ukrainian officials have convened since U.S. President Donald Trump hosted contentious talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House nearly two weeks ago, after which Washington paused military aid and intelligence-sharing to Kyiv.
The talks in Jeddah came just hours after Ukraine launched its largest-ever drone strike on Moscow and its surrounding region. According to the Kremlin, Russia intercepted 343 drones. The attack killed at least three people, injured around 18 others, suspended operations at four international airports, and destroyed railway tracks. Ukraine’s General Staff said the offensive also struck oil facilities in Russia’s Moscow and Oryol regions.
Zelensky praised Tuesday’s talks and expressed gratitude for the Trump administration, highlighting the ways that the United States’ plan addressed Kyiv’s initial suggestions. Trump also celebrated the Jeddah meeting, saying, “Hopefully President Putin will agree to that also and we can get this show on the road.” The Kremlin has not yet responded to the cease-fire proposal. But Trump said that he expects to speak with Putin this week, adding, “It takes two to tango.”
However, a key sticking point between Washington and Kyiv remains. Ukrainian presidential advisor Andriy Yermak stressed in Jeddah on Tuesday that U.S. security guarantees are “very important” to prevent Russia from reinvading the country, something that Kyiv’s European allies agree with. “Putin has proven time and again that he is a hostile neighbor,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday at the European Parliament. “He cannot be trusted. He can only be deterred.”
But Trump has consistently opposed offering such promises and has instead said that such responsibilities should fall to Europe. The White House has also stressed that Kyiv must prepare to make serious concessions, particularly over Russian-occupied territory.
On Tuesday, military chiefs from 30 countries convened in Paris to discuss the creation of an international security force for Ukraine. The officials debated a U.K.-French blueprint that would create a “coalition of the willing” to help defend Kyiv as well as bolster the continent’s security. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov questioned the purpose of such an initiative on Tuesday, particularly because it aims to create a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, which Putin rejects.