Written by Mohamad El Baba
In an important step towards enhancing peace efforts in the Ukrainian crisis, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted talks in Jeddah on Tuesday between the delegations of the United States and Ukraine, during which Ukraine agreed to an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, after negotiations that lasted more than 8 hours. The two parties also agreed to conclude an agreement to develop vital minerals in Ukraine as soon as possible.
The Saudi role in this meeting was of great importance, as the Kingdom helped facilitate dialogue between the conflicting parties, and affirmed its commitment to peace and stability in the region and the world.
The meeting was attended by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, while the Ukrainian side was represented by the Director of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sipcha, and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustam Umarov.
The talks were preceded by a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which the latest developments in the war in Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to find solutions to the crisis were discussed.
These talks came within the framework of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to enhance global security and peace, and in continuation of its previous efforts to host meetings between American and Russian officials on the Ukrainian crisis.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the United States to persuade Russia to accept a ceasefire, stressing that the proposal includes all front lines of military confrontations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Tuesday that Ukraine has agreed to enter into immediate negotiations with Russia, expressing his hope that Moscow will respond positively to this step.
Rubio said during a joint press conference with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, after talks with the Ukrainian side in Saudi Arabia, that there is no specific deadline for these negotiations, but he hopes to reach a solution as soon as possible.
Rubio considered that “the ball is now in Russia’s court” regarding achieving peace in Ukraine.
He stressed that the main goal is to reach peace, calling on the Russian side to agree to the Ukrainian proposal.
Regarding the minerals deal, the US Secretary of State said that the United States and Ukraine are working to complete it.
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz added that the two sides discussed long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, expressing his hope to end the war after Kiev accepted the truce proposal.
Russia’s response to this proposal is now awaited, as the concerned parties hope to reach a peaceful solution that ends the ongoing conflict.
The role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the ceasefire efforts in Ukraine was pivotal, as the Kingdom hosted an important meeting in the city of Jeddah with the participation of several international parties, and the aim of the meeting was to reach solutions to stop the military escalation in Ukraine.
In this context, Ukraine agreed to an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, and this proposal came after intensive negotiations that lasted for more than 8 hours. The meeting in Jeddah witnessed positive interaction between the parties, and the main goal was to provide a dialogue environment to search for peaceful solutions.
In return, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his hope that the United States would be able to convince Russia to accept the ceasefire, and he also praised the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was welcomed globally for its role in trying to defuse the conflict.
The most prominent provisions of this agreement are:
- Declaring a 30-day truce: Ukraine agreed to the US proposal to declare a 30-day truce, with the aim of reducing military escalation and creating conditions for peaceful negotiations.
- Rare metals development agreement: It was agreed to establish a “reconstruction fund” that will be jointly managed by the United States and Ukraine. This fund will invest in projects within Ukraine, especially in the fields of mining and port development, with a focus on exploiting the rare metal resources that Ukraine possesses. Under this agreement, Ukraine is committed to paying 50% of its revenues from extractable materials to the fund, excluding operating expenses.
These steps are part of broader efforts aimed at enhancing economic and security stability in the region, and confirm the commitment of both the United States and Ukraine to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the face of common challenges.
The American website “Axios” had published details of the draft US-Ukrainian agreement on the “rare metals” deal, through which US President Donald Trump said he wanted to recover the money that Washington supported Kiev during the war it is experiencing with Russia.
The agreement calls for the creation of a so-called “reconstruction fund,” jointly managed by the two countries, that will invest in projects inside Ukraine and attract investment to increase development, including in mining and ports.
The agreement also stipulates, according to Axios, that Ukraine will contribute $500 billion to the proposed fund, provided that Ukrainian contributions to the fund are double those of the United States, but does not stipulate that this amount will be paid to the United States.
Ukraine, under the draft, will pay 50 percent of its revenues (excluding operating expenses) from extractable materials (such as minerals, oil and gas) to the fund.
A clause in the draft agreement, which Axios has seen, also refers to projects in Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, if they are liberated.
It is worth noting that most of Ukraine’s mineral wealth is located in the eastern regions of the country, which have been torn apart by the war that has been going on for nearly 3 years.
If the agreement is signed, the US Treasury and Commerce departments, along with the office of the vice president, will be responsible for developing Details of the arrangements related to it with the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy.
Axios quoted sources as saying that the agreement is “likely and may be announced soon.”
The Kremlin, in turn, said that it sees opportunities for cooperation with the United States regarding Russia’s large reserves of rare metals, which are of strategic importance.
Russia occupies territories in eastern and southern Ukraine, the interior of which contains large quantities of lithium and other minerals.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously said that Russia “is ready for a similar agreement if the political leadership is available for that,” according to Agence France-Presse.
Among the resources found on Earth, 17 minerals are classified as rare metals, which are used in the manufacture of high-performance magnets, electric motors, electronic devices, and missile systems.
The US Geological Survey classifies 50 minerals as extremely important, including rare metals, nickel, and lithium, while the European Union list includes 34 minerals.
They are considered rare because they are few in number and there are no alternatives that perform the same function.
According to the data of the Ministry of Economy in Kyiv, Ukraine has resources of 22 of the 34 minerals considered of high importance in the European Union list. These resources include those used in industrial materials, construction materials, iron alloys, rare earth elements, and huge reserves of coal.
