‘The United States will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine,’ a joint statement says.
The U.S. national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and Secretary Rubio hold a meeting with Ukrainian officials at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2025. Saul Loeb/pool via AP
Under American pressure, Ukraine has agreed to a 30-day cease-fire that could possibly lead to negotiations for ending the war that started with Russia’s invasion of the former Soviet state in 2022. “The ball is now on Russia’s court,” Secretary Rubio said at Riyadh on Tuesday.
“The United States will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine,” a joint American-Ukrainian statement said after Mr. Rubio and the national security adviser, Mike Waltz, met with their Ukrainian counterparts and President Zelensky at Saudi Arabia’s capital.
President Trump imposed the temporary ban on intelligence sharing and security assistance to nudge Mr. Zelensky toward agreeing to a plan to end the war and to allow American companies to explore for minerals in Ukraine’s mineral-rich eastern region.
Attempts to unruffle feathers have been made by both sides since the February 28 clash at the White House that cooled relations between Washington and Kyiv. Following Tuesday’s agreement, Mr. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to fly to Moscow to try to convince Russia to join the cease-fire pact.
As often happens on the eve of a cease-fire, Ukraine conducted its largest drone attack in months, targeting Russian targets Tuesday morning, including at the capital, Moscow. The Kremlin is yet to react to the cease-fire agreement, which is contingent on President Putin’s agreement.
Washington and Kyiv thanked their host, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, for hosting a meeting that achieved “important steps toward restoring durable peace for Ukraine,” according to the statement. It also stressed the Ukrainian people’s “strong gratitude” to President Trump, the U.S. Congress, and the American people for “making possible meaningful progress toward peace.”
Messrs. Zelensky and Trump, according to the statement, vow to conclude “as soon as possible” a comprehensive agreement to “develop Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to expand Ukraine’s economy and guarantee Ukraine’s long-term security and prosperity.”