The U.S. is resuming security and intelligence aid to Ukraine after talks between the two countries in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, ending a weeklong standoff that threatened to strengthen Russia’s battlefield position.
In a joint statement published soon after the talks ended, the U.S. and Ukraine agreed to an “immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire,” which could be extended but first hinges on Russia’s acceptance.
“The ball is now in their court,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of the Kremlin.
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White House envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow this week to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the second such round of meetings. Rubio said Russia will receive the ceasefire terms through “multiple channels” for review.
“The deadline is we hope to do this as soon as possible,” Rubio said.
Last week, the U.S. paused hundreds of millions of dollars in American security assistance to Ukraine and stopped sharing intelligence, with President Donald Trump claiming Kyiv wasn’t “ready for peace.” The drastic step followed a catastrophic meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, which devolved into a shouting match.
If extended indefinitely, the pause could have sapped Ukraine’s stocks of ammunition while also hindering its ability to target Russian positions. European officials across the continent reacted to the decision with alarm and have begun multiple rounds of meetings on how they can sustain Ukraine’s self-defense without U.S. assistance.
Aside from the ceasefire proposal, U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said the U.S and Ukraine also discussed humanitarian concerns and what security guarantees Ukraine is seeking. To this point, Kyiv has sought an American military commitment to enforce any peace deal signed with Russia, which has broken past ceasefires and launched a full-scale invasion three years ago.
The Trump administration has been adamant that any security guarantees must come from Europe, part of an overall pivot away from U.S. military support for the continent. European countries have increased military spending in recent years but would still struggle to take on such an expansive role without American aid.
Meanwhile, Trump told reporters last week that America would question whether countries in NATO spent enough on defense before coming to their aid, a core part of the alliance.
“If you’re not going to pay your bills, we’re not going to defend you,” Trump said.
Noah Robertson is the Pentagon reporter at Defense News. He previously covered national security for the Christian Science Monitor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and government from the College of William & Mary in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia.
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