Ukraine on Tuesday accepted a deal put forward by the Trump administration during a meeting in Saudi Arabia, in a step forward for securing a ceasefire and an end to its war with Russia.

“We’ll take this offer now to the Russians, and we hope that they’ll say yes,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters. 

Rubio, standing alongside National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, did not detail exactly what was in this agreement but said, “Ukraine wants to stop shooting.”

President Of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with press on Feb. 19, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine.  (Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

“We hope the Russians answer to that,” he added. “The best goodwill gesture the Russians can provide is to say yes.”

Rubio said if and once Moscow agrees to this preliminary agreement, the real negotiations can commence. 

“We’ve gone from if this war is going to end to how this war is going to end, ” Waltz told reporters. 

Issues involving the return of children abducted by Russia and the return of the prisoners of war will be addressed in the “second phase” the pair said.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.