State Department: Ukraine, Russia 'just a breath away' from ceasefire
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce made this statement on Thursday, Ukrinform reports, citing The Hill.
"We are just a breath away from a full ceasefire, and then we can begin to talk about not just peace for a week or six months, but an enduring peace that the people of Ukraine and Russia and the world can rely on, and that is what America has helped facilitate, and that's what we're continuing to do each day," Bruce said in an interview with "NewsNation Now" anchor Nichole Berlie.
"We have never been closer to peace with these two parties," Bruce said.
U.S. and Ukrainian delegations met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11. Ukraine expressed its willingness to accept a U.S. proposal for an immediate 30-day interim ceasefire, provided that Russia implements it simultaneously.
On March 13, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow, where he met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin stated that Putin conveyed "additional information and signals" to U.S. President Donald Trump through Witkoff.
On Tuesday, March 18, Trump held a phone call with Putin. According to the White House, Moscow agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine's energy and infrastructure facilities.
On Wednesday, March 19, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The U.S. administration emphasized that Trump is committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine.
