Ukrainian Foreign Minister reveals details of the talks with US
Today, Ukraine, together with the United States, took an important step in a joint statement following the meeting in Jeddah. This is a proactive step that proves that Ukraine is ready to move forward on the path to a just end to the war. Ukraine is not an obstacle to peace, but a partner in its restoration.
This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Facebook on Tuesday, March 11, after the talks between the delegations of Ukraine and the United States in Saudi Arabia.
Sybiha gave details of the talks between Ukraine and the United States
The Foreign Minister noted that the joint statement refers to a temporary ceasefire for a limited period of 30 days, and only if the Russian Federation agrees to it. According to him, the American side will now talk to the Russians about their readiness or unwillingness to end the war.
"Why this temporary ceasefire is important is that it is not a frozen conflict. It is just an attempt to start the process of ending the war fairly. It is also a step that shows who is really interested in peace," Sybiha noted.
He also explained that it is important that the statement explicitly states that the United States will immediately resume intelligence sharing and military assistance to Ukraine. In addition, the statement sends a positive signal directly from the leaders of Ukraine and the United States to sign a minerals deal. Moreover, it explicitly links this agreement to the US guarantee of Ukraine's long-term prosperity and security. This is what the Ukrainian side has been looking for.
According to Sybiha, special attention was paid to the release of prisoners and civilians, and the return of Ukrainian children. This was a principled position of the Ukrainian side.
According to the Foreign Minister, it was also important for the Ukrainian side that it was directly mentioned that European partners should participate in any peace talks.
"We maintain our position: no decisions on the long-term security of Europe without Europe. In order to get ahead of the problem, the units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to carry out combat missions. The temporary ceasefire will work only if it is accepted and simultaneously implemented by Russia," Sybiha stressed.
He also noted that the negotiations lasted more than eight hours. In particular, he noted the perseverance of the Ukrainian delegation.
Earlier today, a joint statement was published on the website of the president of Ukraine after the peace talks were concluded on March 11.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky summarized the results of the talks in his evening address.