US and Russia on Verge of Talks as Ukraine Agrees to 30-Day Ceasefire
Following Ukraine’s announcement on Tuesday that it was ready to agree to a 30-day ceasefire, the US and Russia are set to engage in talks. US President Trump revealed that US negotiators are already en route to Russia, stating, “Now it’s up to Russia.” Trump also hinted at potential economic repercussions for Russia, saying, “There are things we can do in a financial sense that would be very bad for Russia.” He expressed hope that Russia would agree to a ceasefire.
Without providing specifics, Trump mentioned that he had received some positive signals, but emphasized that concrete actions are necessary. “The situation is very serious. It’s a situation that could lead to a third world war” he said.
On March 11, US and Ukrainian delegations held talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, resulting in a joint statement in which Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire and the signing of a mineral agreement with Washington. In return, the US pledged to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Trump announced that the US would hold talks with the Russian side “later today or tomorrow” and revealed that he expects to have a direct conversation with Putin this week. He also plans to receive NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington on Thursday. The spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated that the possibility of contacts between the two countries in the coming days is not ruled out.