NEW DELHI, March 13. /TASS/. The resolution of the situation in Ukraine requires long-term agreements rather than the 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States, Professor Arvind Kumar, an expert on American affairs in the Department of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told TASS while commenting on the results of talks between American and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
"I don't understand the proposed 30-day ceasefire. It is a temporary measure," he noted. "I think this is not going to work. It is not going to provide any comprehensive settlement. If the US is genuinely interested in achieving lasting peace, they certainly need to change their negotiating style. They should not focus on a 30-day ceasefire; instead, they should aim for a comprehensive settlement. Additionally, they should not engage with only one party but should involve both parties together," Kumar emphasized.
According to the expert, the 30-day ceasefire "is not going to yield any dividends in terms of having a lasting peace," and it is difficult to understand "what really led the US government to organize these talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia without Russia’s participation."
"To me, the peace talks are problematic when they involve only Ukrainian officials. They should have included at least a few representatives from Russia," he said, stressing that "this is the only way to achieve tangible results from this kind of dialogue."
As the expert pointed out, the US strategy in the current situation is not entirely clear. "On one hand, you see what really happened in the Oval Office last week - the spark between Zelensky and President Trump - and on the other hand, all of a sudden, the US takes a new direction by agreeing to provide arms and share intelligence information," he stated. "This speaks volumes about the US intent, making it very difficult to understand their fundamental role and whether they are genuinely seeking a lasting peace," Kumar summarized.
On March 11, US and Ukrainian delegations met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for about nine and a half hours of talks. Following the discussions, a joint statement was published on Vladimir Zelensky's website, indicating that Ukraine was prepared to accept the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, and Washington would promptly lift the pause in providing intelligence and resume assistance to Kiev. The parties also agreed to finalize a minerals agreement as soon as possible.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged "not to rush things" regarding Russia's reaction to the proposed 30-day ceasefire. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that a settlement in Ukraine should result not in a brief "respite" but in a long-term peace.