It’s Done! Ukraine accepted a US proposal for a 30-day truce with Russia

Ukraine accepted a US proposal for a 30-day truce with Russia as part of a deal with the Trump administration to lift its freeze on military aid and intelligence for Kyiv.

The agreement laid out in a joint statement follows eight hours of talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that raised the possibility of a pause of hostilities in Russia’s three-year war that’s ravaged Ukraine.

The US will now take the proposal to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to seek his agreement.

“Hopefully President Putin will agree to that also, and we can get this show on the road,”

Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump said US officials will speak to their Russian counterparts on Wednesday and that it’s possible he’ll talk to Putin this week.

In Jeddah, where the talks took place, Waltz told reporters that the Ukrainian delegation “made concrete steps and concrete proposals, not only accepting our proposal for a full ceasefire.

We also got into substantive details on how this war is going to permanently end, what type of guarantees they’re going to have for their long-term security and prosperity, but also really looking at what it’s going to take to finally end the horrific fighting.”

In addition, the US and Ukraine discussed the need to conduct prisoner swaps with Russia during the truce, according to the statement. And the two nations agreed to conclude “as soon as possible” a deal Trump has demanded to share in Ukraine’s mineral development.

Ahead of the meeting, Rubio made clear the goal was to learn what concessions Ukraine would be willing to make to secure a possible peace deal with Russia.

#Ukraine #Russia #truce

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Putin Ordered a 30-Hour Pause in Ukraine War

Putin ordered a 30-hour pause in hostilities in Ukraine that will cover Easter Sunday, though Ukraine downplayed it as theatrics as it urged a month-long halt in fighting.

Russia’s truce took effect at 6 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday is slated to end at midnight Sunday, Putin said at a televised meeting with the military’s chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov.

“I order all combat operations to cease for that period. We proceed from the premise that the Ukrainian side will follow our example,”

Putin said.

“At the same time, our forces must be ready to repel any violation of the ceasefire and any provocations from the adversary.”

Zelensky dismissed the announcement. “As for yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives — at this moment, air raid alerts are spreading across Ukraine,” with attack drones detected in the skies,

he said on X.

“If a complete ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20.

That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions — because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance,”

he wrote.

Putin’s move comes after the US warned on Friday that it may abandon efforts to end the war in Ukraine within days if there isn’t progress toward a ceasefire.

On Friday, the Kremlin said an order to pause strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days had expired, with no updated instructions in place.
Russia has offered brief truces before during its three-year invasion of Ukraine, notably a proposal for a cessation of hostilities during the Orthodox Christmas period in 2023.

Trump has expressed increasing frustration with the pace of negotiations with Putin. Still, he’s shown determination to get a deal done to halt to hostilities within a target of 100 days of his Jan. 20 inauguration — or April 30.

The Easter truce will show Ukraine’s readiness for peace, Putin said, adding that he supports efforts by Trump to reach a solution to the conflict.

#Putin #ceasefire #truce

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📰 Gaza Cease-Fire Talks Near Decision Point — But the Clock Is Ticking

💬 “We’re ready for talks.”

— Hamas

“We’re not done until Hamas is gone.”

— Netanyahu

🙏 What’s Happening
• Hamas formally responded “positively” to a U.S.-backed truce plan on Friday night.
• Israel’s security cabinet meets Saturday evening to decide whether to proceed.
• If greenlit, talks would happen via Qatari or Egyptian mediators in a neutral Arab state.

📋 What’s on the Table
• 60-day truce: Hostage-for-prisoner swaps, Israeli troop pullbacks.
• Key sticking points (per Hamas sources):
o How humanitarian aid enters Gaza
o Depth of Israeli withdrawal
o Guarantees that the truce leads to an actual end to the war
Netanyahu insists any deal must not preserve Hamas rule.

🗓 Why Now?
• Trump says a breakthrough is possible “as soon as next week.”
• He’s set to meet Netanyahu Monday in Washington — a high-stakes backdrop for any Israeli decision.
• Just weeks ago, Trump backed Israel’s joint strike on Iran’s nuclear program — a major political gift to Netanyahu.

🧨 The Human Cost
• 57,000+ dead in Gaza, per Hamas-run health ministry
• 20+ hostages believed alive in Gaza
• Mass displacement, starvation, and collapse of civil life continue
• UN warns: 1 in 3 Gazans now go days without food; 90,000 women and children need urgent care
• Aid convoys are now guarded by Israeli troops — but hundreds have been killed trying to reach them
Israel blames Hamas for looting aid. Aid groups blame Israel for using food as leverage.

⚖️ The Core Dilemma
• Hamas wants guarantees the war ends.
• Israel wants guarantees Hamas ends.
Is this a path to peace — or just another pause before the next escalation?

#Israel #Gaza #Hamas #CeaseFire #Truce #Trump #Netanyahu #MiddleEast #HumanitarianCrisis #GazaAid

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📰 Gaza's “Humanitarian City” — or Just a No-Return Zone?

💭 “This would be an isolated city that resembles a ghetto… no Palestinian would agree to this.”

— Husam Badran, senior Hamas official

📋 The Plan
Israel’s defense ministry is promoting a proposal to relocate over a million displaced Gazans into a narrow, militarized zone near Rafah — permanently. The area would remain under Israeli control, with civilians barred from returning north. Officially, it’s a “temporary humanitarian solution.” Unofficially, it’s drawing comparisons to forced transfer.

💥 Legal and Political Fallout
• Israeli legal experts warn it may constitute war crimes or ethnic cleansing.
• Hamas calls it a “deal breaker” for any ceasefire negotiations.
• Critics inside Israel say it risks international condemnation and further destabilization.
• Netanyahu, returning from Washington with no concessions, appears to be doubling down.

💲 Strategic Calculations
The plan may be real — or just leverage:
• Pressure Hamas to concede in truce talks
• Satisfy far-right coalition partners like Ben-Gvir
• Signal to Washington that “security first” remains the red line

🤔 Final Question
When does a temporary measure become permanent — and who decides whether civilians ever go home?

#Israel #Gaza #ceasefire #diplomacy #MiddleEast #internationalLaw #truce #humanitarianCrisis

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