EU's von der Leyen welcomes Ukraine's agreement on US proposal for ceasefire

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her support Tuesday for talks between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia which include a new proposal for a ceasefire agreement and the resumption of US intelligence sharing and security assistance.

Delegations from the US and Ukraine began talks earlier in the day in the city of Jeddah to discuss prospects for a possible peace deal with Russia.

A joint statement declared Kyiv's readiness to accept a US proposal to enact an "immediate, interim" 30-day ceasefire.

Von der Leyen hailed the developments.

"We welcome today's news from Jeddah on the US -Ukraine talks, including the proposal for a ceasefire agreement and the resumption of US intelligence sharing and security assistance," she said. "This is a positive development that can be a step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine."

She emphasized that the European Union stands ready to play a key role in the next phase of peace negotiations, working alongside its international partners.

"The ball is now in Russia's court,” she added.