Looks like Volodymyr Zelensky got the message. Did Vladimir Putin?
Ukrainian and American negotiating teams in Saudi Arabia have come together on a position for a cease-fire. They have also agreed to sign the mineral-rights compact that Donald Trump thought Zelensky would sign two weeks ago, before an angry public argument in the Oval Office derailed it.
Now all is forgotten — apparently. Marco Rubio made it official, via Yashar Ali:
BREAKING A joint statement from the United States and Ukraine says that Ukraine has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the United States is now taking that ceasefire deal to Russia. “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 durable peace for Ukraine. Representatives of both nations praised the bravery of the Ukrainian people in defense of their nation and agreed that now is the time to begin a process toward lasting peace.
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) Mar 10, 2025
Fox’s Jacqui Heinrich followed up with the official readout:
Ukraine’s presidential office presenting this as the JOINT statement following talks with US delegtion (Rubio, Waltz, Witkoff) — two notable points: – “The United States will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine.” – “both countries’ presidents agreed to conclude as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to expand Ukraine’s economy, offset the cost of American assistance, and guarantee Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security.”
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) Mar 10, 2025
CBS News also picked up on renewed American security support:
“Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation,” the U.S. and Ukraine said in a joint statement released by the State Department. “The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.”
The statement said the U.S. “will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine.”
The security support will restart immediately, regardless of the response from Russia. The Ukrainians won’t stop fighting unless the Russians agree to stop for negotiations. That puts the ball squarely in Putin’s court, with the West re-united for the moment on behalf of Ukraine.
Ukraine sent a message of its own last night to Moscow:
Russian officials said Ukraine attacked Moscow before dawn on Tuesday with its largest long-range drone bombardment of the war, as both sides stepped up attacks ahead of talks intended to find a way to end three years of fighting. …
The Ukrainian military said it had targeted Moscow’s oil refinery, which provides more than a third of the fuel consumed in the capital region, along with an oil production station in the Orel region. Neither claim could be independently verified.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, called the attack was the largest against the city since the start of the war. At least three people were killed and 18 others were injured in the broader Moscow region, the Russian authorities said, and four international airports temporarily suspended operations. Railway tracks near the Domodedovo airport south of Moscow were also damaged.
Putin certainly understands the “escalate to de-escalate” strategy; it’s basically the only strategic play Putin has or uses.
What will Putin do now? Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told media that the US would inform the Russians of any progress in the talks:
“Today, there will be U.S.-Ukraine contacts in Jeddah. Somehow, the American side, which is looking for ways to reach a peaceful settlement, will inform us,” Peskov said when asked about the potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Well, the cat is certainly out of the bag now. Putin has to decide whether he wants to put an end to a three-year meatgrinder or wants to escalate it yet again … and whether he can survive politically if he rejects a cease-fire. Dictators get toppled too. Putin can stroll down a Moscow avenue and discuss that with Bashar al-Assad.
