"Today in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under the gracious hospitality of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the United States and Ukraine took important steps toward restoring a reliable peace in Ukraine. Representatives of both countries highly praised the bravery of the Ukrainian people in defending their state and agreed that now is the time to begin the process of establishing lasting peace", - wrote Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak on March 11.
He stated that Ukraine expressed its readiness to accept the U.S. proposal for the immediate introduction of a temporary, 30-day ceasefire, which may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, provided it is accepted and simultaneously implemented by the russian federation.
"The United States will inform russia that reciprocity from russia is key to achieving peace. The United States is immediately lifting the pause on intelligence sharing and restoring security assistance to Ukraine", - Yermak noted.
According to him, the delegations also discussed the importance of humanitarian efforts as part of the peace process, particularly during the aforementioned ceasefire, including the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of detained civilians, and the return of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children.
"Both delegations agreed to define the composition of their negotiating teams and immediately begin talks to achieve a sustainable peace that will ensure Ukraine’s long-term security. The United States pledged to discuss these specific proposals with russian representatives. The Ukrainian delegation once again emphasized that European partners must be involved in the peace process. Finally, the presidents of both countries agreed to conclude a comprehensive agreement as soon as possible on the development of Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and guarantee its long-term prosperity and security", - Yermak summarized.
As previously reported, on March 11, high-level negotiations between representatives of Ukraine and the U.S. began in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.