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nicole: at bdo i feel like a true individual, people value me for me, they care about what i want, my needs, my career path, i matter here. ♪ ♪ narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation, the judy and peter blum kovler foundation, upholding freedom by strengthening democracies at home and abroad. announcer: and now, bbc news. >> it's 7:00 p.m. in london this is "the world today." ukraine says it's ready to accept a u.s. proposal for a 30-day cease-fire with russia following talks with america's secretary of state. >> we'll take this offer now to the russians and we hope they'll say yes to peace. the ball is now in their court. >> as part of deal, the u.s.

will immediately release its ban on intelligence sharing and security backing for ukraine. hello and welcome to "the world today" on "bbc news." let's start with the breaking news on the war in ukraine. in the last half-hour the united states haas agreed to immediately lift its pause on intelligence sharing with kyiv and resume security assistance. the announcement came after eight hours of talks between senior american and ukrainian officials in called rain. ukraine backed a u.s. proposal for an immediate 3046 day cease-fire subject to the agreement of russia. the u.s. secretary of state marco rubio told journalists that the ball is now in russia's court.

>> it's a bloody war. today we made an offer that the ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a cease-fire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way that's enduring and sustainable and accounts for their security and ability to prosper as a nation. we both want to thanks the kingdom of saudi arabia, his majesty. we're very grateful for hosting this today and we'll take this offer now to the russia and hope they'll say yes, yes to peace. the ball is now in their court. the if the's objective above everything else is he wants the war to end. i think ukraine has taken a concrete step in that regard and we hope the russians will reciprocate. >> just to add, thank you cane yandle gays made something very clear -- that they share

president trump's vision for peace, they share his determination to end the fighting, end the killing, to end the tragic net grinding of people and national treasure that's happening on the front in ukraine. number one. number two, they philadelphia concrete steps and concrete proposals, not only accepting our proposal for a full cease-fire, which you can see the details of which are in our joint statement that he released together, but we also got into substantive details on how this warp is going to permanently end. what type of guarantees they're going to have for their long-term security and prosperity but also really loo looking at what it's going to take to finally end this -- the horrific fighting.

>> our correspondent tom bateman gave me his first reaction to the news. >> i think there are two striking things out of this agreement. the first is about the proposal for a cease-fire itself because what we had been hearing in the run-up to these discussions was the idea of a ukrainian proposition for a limited partial early truce that would mean a halt to long-range missile fire and a cessation of hostile disat sea. but we're seeing in the statement is the description of an american proposal on a much broader, basically a complete cease-fire to the war. ukraine accepted it to enact an need 30-day cease-fire which could then be extended. key point is you've only got one side agreeing to that in terms of ukraine. it has to be taken to the

russians to see if they would sign up to that as well. so it's a critical next step and the other critical thing, it says the united states will immediately lift the pause on security sharing and rule sunny skies to ukraine. that happened last week when president trump offered a halt to assistance to ukraine to use mr. rubio's words, to basically use all the tools at his disposal to try and get this done. there's a line about the great dude of the ukrainians, talking about the ukrainian people's strong great dude to president trump, u.s. congress and the people of either for making possible progress toward peace. remember that moment in the oval cutoffs where vice president

vance said you haven't said thank you. of course, president zelensky has said thank you and thank you to of a number of times. that caused the dressing down of zelensky, and his ejection from the who's and what we're seeing here is a clear desire by the ukrainians to try and get that relationship back on track and they're saying thank you. >> interestingly, mr. rubio also reiterating the fact that there is no deadline. the main points really of what he wanted to underline is that the shooting stops. he literally said i just want the shooting to stop and for us to move forward from that point. >> yeah, remember for president trump in terms of his forpolicy, he was elected on a pledge to end in war. he said one day he would do it. he wants to be seen as a deal maker, as a peace maker and

that's what we're seeing reflected there by his secretary of state and national security advisor, a very strong desire to do this. this problem is, and this is where europeans have been increasingly vocal about over the last week or two. is that by normalizing diplomatic relations with russia and try and get a cease-fire before you have a mechanism to enforce it is only going to embolden and empower the russians. that's what ukrainian is worried about. ok, an quick truce but without a security guarantee for the ukrainians, that's what they've always felt extremely vulnerable about. their theory is that vladimir putin would send my use that time to rearm, perhaps load up on forces.

perhaps wait a year or two and then he'd have a strength in russia, no meaningful way to police a cease-fire and the european fear is that vladimir putin comes back in and tries to programs go even further but we're seeing the americans' desire to get an immediate cease-fire very quickly and it's reported that steve witkoff, president trump's envoy will travel to moscow potentially to neat vladimir putin. they're want to put all of this to the russians. >> that's tom bateman there in jidda. and in the latz few moments we've had some reaction from president trump. he said we want to get the ukraine war over with. he said we're going to meet with russia later on today or tomorrow and he's said that hopefully russia will agree to a cease-fire and in the last few

minutes also we've heard from ukraine saying that the ukraine and u.s. have taken an important instead of towards face but president zelensky saying it's up to the u.s. to convince russia to agree to a cease-fire. remember that marco rubio very clearly saying to reporters in that press briefing that the cease-fire is about stopping the shooting but the ball is in the russians' court and they he will take this offer to moscow and that is one of the maybe takeaways from this is will the russians accept this offer in the same way that the ukrainians have. we're hearing that the offer is an initial 30-day interim cease-fire with russia and that's a full and complete cease-fire that's been agreed between russia and the united states. that's on the front lines, by sea and also by air. also agreed to restore

intelligence sharing and security assistance to ukraine and there's also talk of the minerals deal that we've talked about quite a bit here on "bbc news" being very much back on the table. the polish prime minister has said that it seems like the americans and you cranes have taken an important step towards peace and europe stands ready to help reach a just and lasting peace. that's the polish prime minister. let's get some reaction now from ukraine. our correspondent james water hh2o house in kyiv. >> we are looking at this joint state. i think for ukraine there's a political sigh of relief. their statement means that america's and ukraine's rhythm is seemingly patched up.

for ukraine it was all about restoring a constructive dialogue, about having american aid and intelligence sharing restored and that seems to be the case. this proposed cease-fire would, in the words of marco rubio, be along the entire front line. it would freeze the contact line before further negotiations can take place. i think if you're ukraine you're thinking how is russia going to be forced backwards in this i negotiation? because russia is still calling for the land it has taken and more in any kind of sniper deal but i think this multi-billion mineral deal getting back on track where it is likely we could see president zelensky go for a white house take two. he could travel back to washington to sign it which would open up the pathway for more american investment. but just hearing marco rubio there talking about the security of the ukrainian people now

being central to this deal may suggest that america -- now ukraine has said it is grateful and up for a face process, perhaps america is willing to step up a bit more, which will come as a huge relief to ukraine and europe but this is littered with caveats and there's a huge but. whatle the kremlin make of it? steve witkoff, the special envolu enenvoy for the u.s. is thought to be traveling to russia later this week where he could have a meeting with vladimir putin. it is all good having ukraine and america now on the same hymn sheet but if russia doesn't want to play ball it all falls down but i think now kyiv will be relieved that we now have america and ukraine seemingly on the same side once more. until now it had been hostile,

it had been america siding with russia increasingly so the question now is whether russia will go for it. but this is a political moment, no doubt. >> so the question that james and many are asking this evening is will rushing air go for this deal? it's not a snare until the russians agree to it. let's speak to ukrainian leader of the opposition party. thank you for joining us on "bbc news." marco rubio said the ball is in russia's court. he's taking this deal to russia. do you think they'll accept it? >> hi, and thank you so much for having me. well, the ball was always in russia's court. was not us who started the war and russia can easily stop the war by pulling their troops and stopping attacking us. i think the good part today is a renewal of u.s. aid, the good

point is that americans know that ukraine wants peace. however, we haven't seen any confirmation. any fact that russia wants peace that, russia can be a part of the deal so right now we need to observe how the u.s. administration will deal with the aggressor. and iran, china, north korea also watching on how the u.s. will be putting pressure on russia to bring them to the table. >> have you noticed that change in language and vibe between ukrainians and the u.s.? the way in which is u.s. is talking about ukraine and what it objectives are. it feels very much like the u.s. potentially could be ready to start putting a small amount of pressure on rus truth is that tl need to put not a small amount

of pressure on to russia but a houston amount that will stop a giant country from the war. for us it is critical that all the statements are supported with the facts. we have seen the ukraine-u.s. relations coming from very high to very low and now back to kind of normal and we need to remain relatively optimistic and see what the facts will will be. what i'm concerned that we didn't hear, what the security guarantees will will be. if there is a cease-fire, who is going to be sure it is happening from both sides. how is it going to be control and what would happen if one side, obviously russia, would break it. what would happen yet? i hope we get these answers in the near future. perhaps after the u.s. side will

talk to their russian counter smarts part. >> of course, we're also herring about this minerals deal between u.s. and ukraine being back on the table. >> i think the mineral deal was never a problem. the intentions of president zelensky when he came to the white house last week was to go ahead with this deal. we were not taking it as serious security guarantees and i do not believe inny heart that having mineral deals will stop russia from attacking again. we had sort of cease-fire since 2014. they were constantly breaking that and there was no way of stopping them except of having our army. however, if there will be some u.s. and european promises along with that, then it could combine

it to certain security guarantees that may be acceptable. >> do you believe now that peace is possible given this latest breakthrough and change in the relationship between the ukraine and u.s. which was so strained over the last week or so. >> so let me just concentrate on the facts and as of right now, a problem we have. the fact that russia started the war and didn't want to finish it. it is not solved so we are perhaps want closure towards the peace but the main question about what would mange russia stop and how do we make sure russia will not attack us again. in question is not answered just yet. we hope to hear it from the american side. i want to repeat again, ukraine was never a problem.

russia was always a problem and we haven't seen how the u.s. is going to deal with it just yet. >> thank you for taking the time to speak with us, a leader of the opposition party. tough. >> thank you. and glory to ukraine. >> the former ambassador from ukraine to 2003 to 2006, john, thanks for joining us on "bbc news." your reaction, please, to what we've seen this evening from jeddah? ! >> first and foremost i'm relieved we finally ended the pause on military equipment and intelligence to ukraine. secondly, i think ukraine was smart so essentially accept the approach of the u.s. side. this now puts the onus on putin for establishing a cease-fire. and we know that putin does not want to establish a cease-fire. he wants to take more ukrainian

territory. his goal is not to simply consolidate his gains in ukraine but to achieve effective political control of the country, which requires taking a lot more territory. >> so what's the answer then? you're saying you don't believe that russia will accept the cease-fire deal? >> it's conceivable they may try not to reject it without accepting it. >> how is that possible? >> i would be surprised if they do accept'9" but you never know. >> how can they do that? >> how? they can say yes, they're willing to accept it but there's this point here and that point there and string out negotiations. he could simply accept it but then violate it and see what the americans do. because if they violate it and then we allow that to happen then essentially it's no of a non-cease-fire which is advantageous to the aggressor.

now, president trump said that if russia refused to go along with the reasonable proposal for peace, he will arm ukraine like it's never been armed before, put additional sanctions on russia. this is the time for trump to say what he said he was do when it becomes clear that russia is a real obstacle for peace and certainly it's an obstacle. >> you said it was time for him to say what he was going to do. but at the same time analysts have said that in withholding intelligence from ukraine, president trump and the u.s. have empowered president putin. how are they going to take that power away from him now? >> well, they've partly done that by removing the mistake of pausing intel and military surprise to ukraine. that's a huge positive and now, again, we saw what rubio and waltz said. that ukraine has made steps

toward peace. it's anyhow time for the russians so we'll find out if the warn, trump gave russia weeks ago, that he would arm ukraine a and sanctions russia has never before. if putin proves to be an obstacle to peace if he really meant it. he obviously was willing to putt pressure on ukraine. is he willing to put pressure on the kremlin? that's a very important question. >> it is very important. but the big question now is how is russia going to react to that kind of pressure? >> russia's position is that they want no face without gaining all the territory they've "annexed." aand they've annexed several and don't control all those territories. if what they've said in the last

few days is true, they would not accept a cease-fire. but there's a risk for them that trump would then put pressure on moscow. but they may see if they can somehow persuade envoy witkoff to accept something less than a cease-fire. time to see what moscow does. >> good to talk to you. thank you very much for joining us. former embassy to the ukraine from the united states. just to bring you a couple more lines coming into us in the last few minutes. i want to remind people of the top line from in story this evening and that is that within the last hour or so, ukraine has accepted a u.s. approach for an initial 30-day cease-fire with russia. it was a joint statement between ukrainians and the united states after hours of talks in saudi arabia. and washington has also agreed

to restore intelligence sharing and security assistance, both of which it had taken from ukraine previously. the u.s. secretary of state marco rubio said in a press conference that is ball is in the russians' court and they he will take offer from moscow. you've also been hearing from the u.s..donald trump. he has said he hopes russia will agree to a cease-fire plan drawn up by the americans and ukrainians and that there will be a meeting with russia later in the week. he also reports, interestingly, given on what happened in that fateful day in the white house. president trump said that he would invite president volodymyr zelensky back to the white house. of course, etched in our minds, that clash between those two last month in the oval cutoffs when the two memory pretty much

argued in front of the cameras without signing that critical minerals deal with the united states, which now looks like it's very much back on the table. as we see those pictures from that oval cutoffs meeting, let's bring in michael, the global affairs analyst and senior fellow at the atlantic council. michael, so good to talk to you. thank you for joining us on "bbc news." first of all, your reaction to this brick love the in jeddah. >> good to be with you. pretty held-spinning developments but i have to also say that in the good old days when america put itself signature to an agreement, its word was as good as gold but we now live in this crazy era where mr. trump could change his mind very quickly and i also will tell you that this is the same leader of the quiet who said

multiple times, let's annex canada. he has said ukraine should be part of russia. we hope, of course, that this holds. we hope that america and programs along with its allies will act as strong security -- to this. to that end. i would not blame any ukrainian who goes to sleep tonight very fearful. just two hours away from me, we had russian missile strikes. at least one in odecembera. and now, according to a ukrainian telegram, more on the way. that, to me, does knot signal a party that is genuine about peace. >> michael, if i can ask you possibly will study where you are and come back to us in a moment because i want to update people on the latest lines on this story.

we've heard in last hour or so, as i mentioned earlier, that washington and ukraine have agreed a 30-day total cease-fire. this is predicated on this deal being accepted by russia. president trump has said that this deal will now be taken to the russian side. if you want to read more about what it is happening in this developing story, you can go to the bbc's website where you c narrator: funding for presentation of this program is provided by... bdo, accountants and advisors, funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation, the judy and peter blum kovler foundation, upholding freedom by strengthening democracies at home and abroad. ♪ ♪ usa today calls it "arguably the best bargain in streaming" that's because the free pbs app let's you watch the best of pbs anytime, anywhere.

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