SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Ukraine said Tuesday it's ready to accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, putting the pressure on Russia to do the same.
It's "a big step forward," according to Jesse Driscoll, a professor of political science at the UCSD School of Global Policy and Strategy. However, he noted several challenges could stand in the way of this becoming reality.
“Today, we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way that’s enduring and sustainable," said Secretary of State Marco Rubio following a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia Tuesday.
The 30-day ceasefire would stop all forms of war, land air and sea.
“We are ready to take such a step, and the United States of America must convince Russia to do so," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after agreeing to the arrangement.
The U.S. has also agreed to immediately resume sharing intel and military aid to Ukraine, indicating repaired relations following a tense meeting in the Oval Office at the end of February.
“I knew there would be something that they would have to do," Driscoll said. "I figured that there would be something like this."
This is the first time Ukrainians have said they'd accept a ceasefire in such explicit terms as Driscoll pointed out. However, the deal is conditional on Russia's cooperation, and Driscoll noted that might be difficult to achieve.
"Time will tell, but it takes compromises on both sides to make peace happen," he said. "So far, the Russians' maximalist demands are still very much in play. Those maximalist demands are not going to be accepted within Kyiv, not without much of a fight. Not without a big fight.”
As Driscoll explained, and as Russia has made clear in the past, those demands include Ukraine renouncing its desire to join NATO, shrinking its military, reducing its sovereignty and lifting anti-Russia sanctions, ceding territory and accepting Crimea was Russian and changing its constitution to enshrine neutrality.
On the other hand, in order for the war to end altogether, Ukraine has expressed a need for security guarantees.
"That's something that's going to require coordination among allies and partners," Driscoll said. Traditionally they would expect American leadership in that, but that leadership won't be provided.”
He added, "While a European guarantee is not the same as an American guarantee, I think some kind of security guarantee is necessary for Ukrainians to feel secure in signing. Necessary, not sufficient."
“How far do you think this will go to bringing us closer to the end of the war? Or, is it just highlighting once again how far apart both countries truly are to finding some sort of middle ground?” ABC 10News asked Driscoll.
“A ceasefire might just be an opportunity for both sides to reconstitute their fighting forces and come back with, you know, hammers and tongs later," he replied. "But Peace does have to start somewhere.”
U.S. leaders said they hadn't given Russia a deadline to agree to the ceasefire. Trump's special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to discuss the deal with Russian officials in Moscow in the coming days.
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