Russia Ceasefire for Ukraine? - Waiting for Moscow's reaction
Following Ukraine's agreement in principle to a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, expectations are now turning to Moscow.
12.03.2025, 05:13
SDA
"The ball is now in their court," said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the Kremlin. He and his delegation had previously spoken with Ukrainian representatives in the Saudi port city of Jeddah about entering into a peace process.
In recent days, the USA had put the government in Kiev under massive pressure, in particular by temporarily halting arms deliveries. Important reconnaissance data was also no longer forwarded to Ukraine, which has been defending itself against an invasion by Russia for three years. Following Ukraine's agreement to a ceasefire, US military aid resumed immediately that night, according to the deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential chancellery, Pavlo Palissa.
Trump wants to talk to Putin soon
US President Donald Trump said that he hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would also agree to the proposal for a ceasefire. "We want to put this war behind us." The US delegation will hold talks with Russia "today and tomorrow". And he himself wants to talk to Putin quickly - perhaps this week.
Trump wants to force a quick end to the war, which has been going on for more than three years and has cost the lives of tens of thousands of people. So far, however, Trump has mainly put pressure on Kiev. He has been far less demanding towards the aggressor Russia.
Russia has so far stuck to maximum demands
Moscow followed the talks in Jeddah closely, but did not comment on the results. However, contacts with the USA in the coming days are not ruled out, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
So far, Russia has rejected all proposals for a ceasefire. Ukraine would only use such a respite to build up its forces, the reasoning goes. Conversely, this also applies to Russia, whose troops are also suffering from exhaustion according to military experts.
Moscow has so far stuck to its maximum demands. It occupies around a fifth of the neighboring country and is demanding further territories that it considers to be its own. It also wants political control over the rest of Ukraine.
The Russian state news agency Ria Novosti wrote that the joint US-Ukrainian declaration did not address the issue of territories or borders. "This absence without a mention means one thing: Kiev has understood that it must come to terms with the territorial changes."
Russia covered Ukraine with missile and drone attacks on Wednesday night. Hits with damage were reported from the cities of Dnipro and Odessa.
Selenskyj: ceasefire only if Moscow goes along with it
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire a positive step. "Now it is up to the United States to convince Russia to do the same. If Russia agrees, the ceasefire will come into force immediately," he wrote on X.
According to Selenskyj, the US proposal includes not only air strikes with missiles, drones and bombs as well as attacks from the Black Sea, but also the entire front line. In addition to the proposal for a ceasefire, Washington should also raise the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine with Moscow.
The Ukrainian president did not address the veiled point that his country is backing away from recapturing the occupied territories by freezing the current front line. Rubio had said before the meeting in Jeddah that this would not be possible in the foreseeable future anyway.
Europeans demand reaction from Russia
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Russia to agree to a ceasefire and an "end to the fighting" in Ukraine. "As both the American and Ukrainian delegations have said, the ball is now in Russia's court," said Starmer. "This is an important moment for peace in Ukraine."
The prime minister announced another summit meeting with heads of state and government for this Saturday. It should help to end the war in a "just and lasting way" that secures freedom for Ukraine.
France's head of state Emmanuel Macron welcomed the progress made in the talks between the USA and Ukraine. He also emphasized the idea of a 30-day ceasefire: "The ball is now clearly in Russia's court." EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa also spoke of a positive development that could be a step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also wrote on X of a possible turning point. "It is now up to Russia to end its war of aggression."
Army chiefs discussed in Paris
The army chiefs of 36 countries met in Paris to discuss peacekeeping troops for Ukraine. Led by the Chiefs of Staff of France and Great Britain, the meeting was intended to concretize the British-French initiative for robust security guarantees through the deployment of soldiers. Germany was represented by the Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, Carsten Breuer.
The still "confidential defense plan" envisages several thousand soldiers - the British press quoted a figure of less than 30,000 - being stationed in places far from the front line, in particular in cities such as Kiev, Odessa or Lviv. This was reported by the newspaper "Le Parisien" with reference to France's General Staff. It is also about securing a no-fly zone and a force to monitor the sea areas.
This will be important today
Also in Paris today, the defense ministers of the Group of Five important NATO states want to discuss further support for Ukraine. In addition, the meeting of representatives from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK will also focus on strengthening European defense, according to the French Ministry of Defense. The Ukrainian defense minister is to be connected via video.
The meetings in a five-party format were set up following Donald Trump's election victory in the USA. The aim is to strengthen European security and defense readiness.
