Wednesday Briefing
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The U.S. agreed to resume military aid to Ukraine
The U.S. said it would immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume military assistance to Ukraine after hours of meetings in Saudi Arabia. Kyiv said it would support the Trump administration’s proposal for a 30-day cease-fire with Russia.
In a joint statement, the U.S. and Ukraine acknowledged that the terms of any cease-fire would be subject to Russia’s approval. They also agreed to conclude a deal to develop Ukraine’s critical mineral resources “as soon as possible.”
There was no immediate comment from Russia, which did not have officials at the talks.
President Trump told reporters that he might speak this week with Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, and that he hoped a lasting cease-fire would be negotiated in the coming days.
What’s next: After the meetings, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the agreement now put the pressure on Russia to end the war. “The ball is now in their court,” he said.
Defense: President Emmanuel Macron of France gathered the chiefs of staff of more than 30 armed forces yesterday to discuss the formation of a multinational peacekeeping force to monitor any cease-fire in Ukraine.
Combat: Russia began assaulting the town of Sudzha, in the Kursk region, which was captured by Ukraine last year. The advance puts Moscow on the verge of ending the first invasion of Russian territory since World War II.