State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said Monday that “Ball is currently in the Russian court” to accept the US presumed ceasefire contract Ukraine agreed to last week.
The US-backed proposal to ensure a 30-day ceasefire and a reopening of US military aid and intelligence to Ukraine was finalised during diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia last week.
“Ukraine has expressed preparations to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire against the Russian-Ukraine conflict. The ball is now in the Russian court,” Bruce said at the second briefing of Trump's second term. “This historic meeting follows the secretary [of State Marco] Rubio traveled to Canada's G7. There, our partners have expressed their support for a quick and durable end to this dispute. ”
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State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said Monday that “Ball is currently in the Russian court” to accept the US presumed ceasefire contract Ukraine agreed to last week. (sputnik/alexei danichev/pool byReuters/Leah Millis/Alina Smutko)
After President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkov met with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, who said at a press conference that, in principle, agreed to a ceasefire, “the idea itself is right and certainly supports it.” Meanwhile, Trump's national security adviser Michael Waltz said he has “cautious optimism” following the meeting.
A ceasefire appears to be imminent, but Russia and Ukraine need to resolve important disagreements before finalizing the deal.
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These include negotiations related to Ukraine's entrance to NATO. This states that Russia is a non-starter – territorial integrity disputes and security assurances, such as whether NATO peacekeepers will be allowed in Ukraine to maintain a ceasefire. The exchange of potential prisoners also needs to be ironed between the two fighting nations.
A ceasefire appears to be imminent, but Russia and Ukraine need to resolve important disagreements before finalizing the deal. (Getty Images)
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Trump also shows that management of certain lands and power plants in Ukraine is also part of the negotiations.
While Trump and his team have expressed optimism about the deal, GOP South Dakota Sen. Minecround said he would “tell the time” whether Putin is planning to “deceive us.”
