U.S. and Ukraine Agree to a 30-Day Ceasefire with Russia… Expedite Mineral Agreement

# U.S. and Ukraine Agree to Temporary Ceasefire Following High-Level Talks in Saudi Arabia ## U.S.: "Ball is Now in Russia’s Court... Hope They Say 'Yes'" (Washington and Istanbul - Yonhap News) Correspondents Cho Joon-hyung and Kim Dong-ho The United States and Ukraine have reached a sudden agreement on a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, raising the prospects of a temporary end to the war that has continued for more than three years. According to international news agencies such as AFP and Reuters, the agreement was announced following a nine-hour high-level meeting between the two nations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Additionally, both countries agreed to expedite the conclusion of a "mineral agreement" between the U.S. and Ukraine, which the U.S. had demanded in exchange for its military support to Ukraine. This landmark meeting is significant as it comes after a period of heightened tensions marked by a contentious exchange between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House last month. The meeting has managed to resolve several conflicts and achieve meaningful outcomes. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented after the meeting, "The ball is now in Russia’s court concerning peace in Ukraine," adding, "We hope Russia will respond positively now that Ukraine has taken constructive steps." Secretary Rubio emphasized, "The proposal is to stop the shooting," and expressed his hope, "We hope Russia will say 'yes'." National Security Advisor Mike Waltz noted, "We discussed the practical details on how to end the war in Ukraine." He also mentioned that long-term security assurances for Ukraine were part of the discussions. Advisor Waltz added, "We plan to hold talks with the Russian side within a few days." dk@yna.co.kr