<h6><strong>Ane Barcos</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Washington and Kyiv reached an agreement on Tuesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that opens the door to a process towards a peaceful solution to the conflict with Russia. The initiative proposes an interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement between both parties, and the resumption of security and intelligence assistance by the United States to Ukraine. The European Union reacted positively to the progress, stressing that this agreement can be an important step towards a lasting peace and underlining that it is willing to play an active role in future peace negotiations.</strong></h4> During the discussions, the delegations of Ukraine and the United States agreed on the need to take steps towards a lasting peace and highlighted the courage of the Ukrainian people in the face of the Russian invasion. The interim 30-day ceasefire implies the halt of air, sea and land attacks, especially in the Black Sea. In parallel, the United States pledged to lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine. Cooperation on humanitarian issues was also discussed, with a focus on the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the repatriation of Ukrainian children who were forced to move to Russia. In another area, both nations agreed to move quickly in the development of Ukraine's critical mineral resources, which will not only boost the Ukrainian economy, but also ensure its long-term security and prosperity. In addition, Ukraine insisted on the need for European countries to actively participate in the peace process, given the impact that the conflict has on all of Europe. After learning of the agreement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his satisfaction with the progress achieved in Jeddah. He stressed that Ukraine has been seeking peace since the beginning of the war and described the talks as constructive and positive. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is ready to accept the 30-day ceasefire proposal, considering it an important step towards resolving the conflict. However, he stressed that the implementation of the agreement depends on Russia's readiness to accept the proposal. If Russia accepts, the ceasefire could come into effect immediately. <h5><strong>EU reaction</strong></h5> European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed support for the agreement reached in Jeddah, calling it a positive development that could lead to lasting peace for Ukraine. She stressed the importance of the ceasefire proposal and the resumption of security assistance by the United States, stating that the European Union is ready to play its role in future peace negotiations. The president concluded that “the ball is now in Russia's court.” European Council President Antonio Costa also expressed his optimism about the agreement reached and noted that this could be an important step towards a fair and lasting peace. Costa stressed that the European Union is prepared to actively contribute to the negotiations and work alongside its international partners to ensure the success of the process.
