Chicago – March 11, 2025
The United States has agreed to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after talks in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine has accepted a U.S. plan for a 30-day ceasefire in its war with Russia, according to a joint statement from both countries.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would now take the proposal to Russia. “The President wants this war to end as soon as possible,” Rubio told reporters, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump. “We hope Russia will agree quickly so real negotiations can begin.”
Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago and now controls about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, which it took over in 2014. Russia has recently been making advances on the battlefield.
Washington wants both Ukraine and Russia to agree to a peace deal as soon as possible. “Every day, people are dying and getting hurt in this war,” Rubio said.
It is unclear how Russia will respond. President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to peace talks but does not want to give up any territory. He has also demanded that Ukrainian forces leave four regions that Russia claims as its own.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was in Saudi Arabia but did not attend the talks, said the ceasefire was a “positive proposal” that would apply to all fighting along the frontline.
During the discussions, the U.S. and Ukraine also agreed to finalize a deal on Ukraine’s critical mineral resources. The deal had been delayed after a tense meeting between Trump and Zelenskiy at the White House last week.
A top aide to Zelenskiy said security guarantees for Ukraine were also discussed, but no details were given. Some European countries have expressed interest in sending peacekeepers to help secure Ukraine’s future.
