The US-Ukraine Ceasefire Proposal: Russia’s Response and American Options
Introduction
On March 13, 2025, diplomatic efforts to establish a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine have reached a critical juncture following productive talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Saudi Arabia.
The proposed 30-day ceasefire agreement, already accepted by Ukraine, now awaits Russia’s formal response as US officials travel to Moscow for direct negotiations with the Kremlin.
This development represents a significant shift in the diplomatic landscape of the three-year conflict and potentially opens a pathway toward broader peace negotiations.
The Proposed Ceasefire Agreement
The ceasefire proposal emerged from extensive eight-hour discussions held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on March 11, 2025, between Ukrainian and US representatives.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Ukraine’s acceptance of a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States, marking a notable diplomatic achievement after recent tensions between the two allies.
The joint statement released following these talks indicated that Ukraine had “expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement and is contingent upon acceptance and simultaneous implementation by the Russian Federation”.
The proposed ceasefire encompasses comprehensive measures beyond a simple cessation of hostilities.
According to President Zelensky, the agreement includes three main components: a cessation of aerial assaults (halting missile strikes, bombings, and long-range drone operations), a pause in naval operations to ensure safe passage of shipping goods, and the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war to build trust.
These proposals were reportedly developed with assistance from UK national security advisor Jonathan Powell, who collaborated with officials from the US, Germany, and France.
In a significant concession accompanying Ukraine’s acceptance of the ceasefire proposal, the United States immediately resumed intelligence sharing and restarted security assistance that had been suspended following a contentious meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky at the White House on February 28.
This resumption of aid represents a critical lifeline for Ukrainian forces who have been facing intensified Russian offensives in recent months, particularly in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops had established a tactical foothold.
Russia’s Response and Demands
As of March 13, 2025, Russia has not yet provided a formal response to the proposed ceasefire agreement. The Kremlin has adopted a cautious stance, stating that it is awaiting further details from Washington before making any definitive statements.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “Rubio and Waltz stated that they would provide us with detailed information about the essence of the conversations that took place in Jeddah through various diplomatic channels. First, we must receive this information”.
While Russia has not directly responded to the specific ceasefire proposal, reports indicate that Moscow has presented the United States with its own list of demands for ending the conflict and resetting bilateral relations.
These demands, discussed during face-to-face and virtual conversations over the past three weeks, reportedly align with Russia’s longstanding positions regarding Ukraine and NATO.
The core Russian demands include prohibiting Ukraine from joining NATO, banning foreign troop deployments on Ukrainian soil, and international recognition of Russia’s claimed sovereignty over Crimea and four partially occupied Ukrainian provinces—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
Additionally, Russian officials have suggested that any peace agreement should include the unfreezing of Russian assets in Western countries and the lifting of international sanctions imposed on Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently rejected calls for temporary ceasefires, arguing that such pauses would merely allow Ukrainian forces to regroup and rearm. Instead, Putin has emphasized the need for a comprehensive settlement that addresses what Russia considers the “root causes” of the conflict, including NATO’s eastward expansion.
Russian lawmakers have publicly maintained a hardline position on potential negotiations.
Konstantin Kosachev, who heads the international affairs committee in Russia’s upper house of parliament, asserted that any agreements would be “on our terms, not American” and that “real agreements are still being written there, on the front line”.
This rhetoric suggests significant obstacles remain in reaching a mutually acceptable ceasefire arrangement.
Current Diplomatic Efforts and US Options
The US administration is actively pursuing diplomatic engagement with Russia to advance the ceasefire proposal. President Trump confirmed that American negotiators are traveling to Moscow for direct talks, stating: “People are going to Russia right now as we speak.
And hopefully, we can get a ceasefire from Russia”. The White House later confirmed that special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has played a key role in ceasefire negotiations for both Ukraine and Gaza, is scheduled to visit Moscow later this week.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has also spoken with his Russian counterpart and is expected to meet with Russian officials in the coming days.
President Trump has adopted both conciliatory and pressuring approaches toward Russia regarding the ceasefire proposal. While expressing hope for a diplomatic breakthrough, Trump has also warned of potential consequences if Russia rejects the agreement.
He stated: “I can do things financially, that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do that because I want to get peace”.
This implicit threat of enhanced sanctions or other economic measures represents a significant leverage point in the ongoing negotiations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized that the US wants Moscow to accept the ceasefire without conditions, declaring: “If their response is ‘yes’, we know we’ve made real progress.
If it’s ‘no’, then their intentions are clear”. This statement reflects the administration’s approach of testing Russia’s commitment to a peaceful resolution while maintaining pressure for a positive response.
The US appears to be pursuing two parallel tracks in its engagement with Russia: one focused on the immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and another aimed at a broader reset of US-Russia relations.
This dual-track approach reflects the complex interplay between the specific conflict in Ukraine and wider geopolitical considerations in US-Russia relations.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Significant challenges remain in securing Russian agreement to the proposed ceasefire.
A senior Russian source indicated that Putin would find it difficult to accept the ceasefire idea without negotiating specific terms and receiving some form of guarantees.
The disparity between Ukraine’s acceptance of a temporary ceasefire and Russia’s insistence on a comprehensive settlement that addresses its territorial claims and security concerns presents a substantial obstacle to immediate progress.
Some US officials, lawmakers, and experts have expressed concerns that Putin might use a temporary ceasefire to intensify efforts to divide the US, Ukraine, and European allies while preparing for further military operations.
This skepticism is reinforced by reports of a document drafted by a Moscow think tank close to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) outlining maximalist demands for ending the war, including a buffer zone in northeastern Ukraine and a demilitarized zone in southern Ukraine.
Despite these challenges, the immediate focus remains on securing Russia’s agreement to the 30-day ceasefire proposal.
French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu suggested optimistically that a ceasefire could be announced as early as Thursday, March 14, and emphasized that Europe must be ready to help enforce it.
European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, have welcomed the ceasefire initiative, stating: “This is a positive development that could pave the way for a comprehensive, fair, lasting peace in Ukraine. The ball is in Russia’s court”.
Conclusion
The proposed 30-day ceasefire represents a potential turning point in the three-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
While Ukraine has accepted the US proposal and American officials are actively engaging with Moscow to secure Russian agreement, significant obstacles remain due to fundamental differences in the parties’ objectives and conditions for peace.
The coming days will be crucial as US envoys meet with Russian counterparts and President Trump potentially speaks directly with President Putin.
The United States has demonstrated both diplomatic flexibility in brokering the ceasefire agreement and firmness in warning of consequences if Russia rejects it.
By resuming military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine while simultaneously pursuing negotiations with Russia, the US is maintaining a balanced approach that supports its ally while seeking a diplomatic resolution.
The ultimate success of these efforts will depend on Russia’s formal response and whether the initial 30-day ceasefire can provide a foundation for more comprehensive peace negotiations to end the devastating conflict that has claimed countless lives and destabilized European security for over three years.
