Donald Trump has announced plans to invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky back to the White House after Ukraine agreed to a proposed ceasefire with Russia. The agreement follows high-level discussions between U.S. and Ukrainian officials.
Trump stated that he anticipates speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week, expressing hope that Moscow will agree to the terms of the ceasefire. He emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation, saying, "Ceasefire... Ukraine has agreed to it, and hopefully Russia will agree to it."
In a joint statement issued after the talks, Ukraine and the U.S. confirmed that the White House would immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine. The statement further elaborated that Kyiv had expressed readiness to implement a U.S.-proposed immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire. This ceasefire could be extended by mutual agreement and remains contingent upon Russia’s acceptance and concurrent implementation.
"The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace," the statement added.
Trump told reporters he expects the ceasefire to take effect "over the next few days" and reiterated his intent to engage with Putin soon, emphasizing that "it takes two to tango."
When asked about a potential White House visit for Zelensky, Trump confirmed, "Sure, absolutely."
Zelensky’s previous visit to Washington ended in a tense Oval Office meeting, which reportedly turned into a heated exchange. Reflecting on that visit, Trump remarked, "I think it's a big difference between the last visit you saw in the Oval Office, and this."
Zelensky confirmed his acceptance of the U.S. proposal for a "complete" 30-day truce, stating, "Ukraine accepts this proposal, we consider it positive, we are ready to take such a step. The United States of America must convince Russia to do this."
International Reactions
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy welcomed the development, calling it a "breakthrough" in U.S.-Ukraine talks. Writing on social media platform X, he stated, "We welcome the breakthrough ceasefire proposal agreed today by the U.S. and Ukraine. The ball is now firmly in Russia’s court. Looking forward to working with G7 partners this week to drive progress towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine."
A Ukrainian presidential official confirmed that U.S. military assistance to Ukraine had resumed following talks in Saudi Arabia. "I have confirmation that U.S. military assistance has been resumed. The agreements are being implemented," said Pavlo Palisa, deputy head of the presidential office.
Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko praised the ceasefire agreement as a "great result" for Ukraine, telling the Telegraph, "We need peace, it’s a real breakthrough. The most important thing is that we have a real result in military aid and intelligence being resumed." However, he expressed skepticism about Putin’s willingness to uphold the agreement, warning, "Now we will see the true face of Putin. I am sure he doesn’t want peace. If he starts to play games with Trump, it will be time for Trump to put pressure on him. He only understands force."
Russia’s Response
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that it had not ruled out contact with U.S. representatives in the coming days. Spokesperson Maria Zakharova told state news agency RIA, "We do not rule out contacts with U.S. representatives over the next few days."
Trump confirmed that U.S. officials are expected to meet with Russian representatives later in the week, hoping for a resolution that could lead to a full ceasefire in the ongoing three-year war.
European and Global Reactions
European leaders also responded positively to the ceasefire proposal. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated, "It seems like the Americans and Ukrainians have taken an important step towards peace. And Europe stands ready to help reach a just and lasting peace."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this sentiment, saying, "We welcome today’s news from Jeddah on the U.S.-Ukraine talks, including the proposal for a ceasefire agreement and the resumption of U.S. intelligence sharing and security assistance. The ball is now in Russia’s court."
European Council President Antonio Costa emphasized the EU's readiness to assist in upcoming peace negotiations, stating, "The EU is ready to play its full part, together with its partners, in the upcoming peace negotiations."
UK Prime Minister’s Statement
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the agreement as a "remarkable breakthrough." He congratulated both Trump and Zelensky, saying, "I warmly welcome the agreement today in Jeddah and congratulate President Trump and President Zelensky for this remarkable breakthrough."
Starmer emphasized the importance of ensuring lasting peace in Ukraine and called for further diplomatic efforts. "This is an important moment for peace in Ukraine, and we now all need to redouble our efforts to get to a lasting and secure peace as soon as possible. As both American and Ukrainian delegations have said, the ball is now in Russia’s court. Russia must now agree to a ceasefire and an end to the fighting too."
He concluded by announcing plans to convene world leaders on Saturday to discuss next steps, reiterating, "We are ready to help bring an end to this war in a just and permanent way that allows Ukraine to enjoy its freedom."
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