Ukraine on Tuesday backed a US proposal for a 30-day general ceasefire with Russia, with the United States in turn agreeing to lift restrictions on military aid and intelligence sharing, a joint statement said.

After talks in Saudi Arabia, the two sides also agreed to conclude “as soon as possible” a deal on Ukrainian minerals, the statement said.

“Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US 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,” a joint statement said after the talks.

“The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace,” it added.

“The United States will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine.”

President Donald Trump had shut off aid after a disastrous meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on February 28.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

President Zelensky said it was now up to the US to convince Russia to agree to the truce. 

​President Zelensky said it was now up to the US to convince Russia to agree to the truce.  

It’s time for Russia’s intentions towards Ukraine to be tested in public, writes the BBC’s Paul Adams. 

​It’s time for Russia’s intentions towards Ukraine to be tested in public, writes the BBC’s Paul Adams.