President Volodymyr Zelenskyy supported the results of the meeting in Saudi Arabia. He considers it the first major constructive conversation.
Speaking to journalists on 12 March, Zelenskyy said that details that were not mentioned in the statement were also discussed.
The Ukrainian and American delegations coordinated their positions with the presidents. This happened during a break between rounds of negotiations.
‘I think you have noticed that before the meeting there was only one topic - ceasefire in the sky and at sea. Then the American side proposed a different approach (30 days of ceasefire). In the middle of the meeting, our team contacted me and we discussed the details. The American team was in touch with their President. They (the Americans) asked us whether Ukraine was ready to support the 30-day ceasefire. It is very important that everyone sees and feels that we want the war to end. So my answer was: yes, we are ready for a 30-day ceasefire,’ he said.
Asked by LB.ua whether, according to his information, the United States had agreed with Russia on the proposal for a one-month ceasefire before meeting with the Ukrainians, he said: ‘To be honest, I don't care if they had communicated in advance... We had to demonstrate to the whole world our resolute readiness to end the war, and we did it,’ he said.
According to LB.ua's sources, the Americans had not agreed on a 30-day ceasefire with Moscow before meeting with the Ukrainian delegation in Jeddah.
Read more about the meeting in the article Steps toward peace: Ukraine and the US act, Russia’s turn to respond. The Turn is Now Taking Russia’.