The United States made the announcement on Tuesday that Ukraine has accepted its offer for a 30-day immediate interim ceasefire, putting the responsibility on Russia to respond in kind.
Concurrent with this news, the US has also removed its temporary hold on sharing intelligence and military aid to Ukraine.
"Ukraine is ready to stop fighting and negotiate. Now it's Russia's turn to make a decision," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said following a meeting with Ukrainian leaders in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Hoping for a favorable response from Russia, Rubio said, "If they sign on, we will have made substantial progress. If they don't, then, unfortunately, we'll have a clear picture of the roadblock to peace."
Echoing the US President's position, he added, "The President has been clear—he wants a stop to the violence, the war, the pain. He believes that the only way to end this war is at the negotiating table. And it's always simpler to find an answer when the active combat stops. Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to move immediately, and we hope Russia will do the same."
A US-Ukraine joint statement confirmed Ukraine's agreement to the 30-day ceasefire proposal, extendable if agreed upon by both sides. The agreement, however, is dependent on Russia's acceptance and simultaneous implementation.
"The US will convey to Russia that its reciprocity is key to peace," the statement stated, further confirming Washington's resumption of intelligence sharing and security assistance to Ukraine.
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