US Rapid Action on Ukraine War

KYIV, THURSDAY - The United States resumed the flow of weapons aid and intelligence information to Ukraine starting Wednesday (12/3/2025). On the other hand, Washington also sent an envoy to Moscow to discuss peace between Russia and Ukraine.

The restoration of U.S. military aid occurred a day after Ukraine agreed to the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia. On Tuesday (11/3/2025), the U.S. and Ukraine met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During the nine-hour marathon meeting, Ukraine supported the U.S. proposal for implementing a 30-day ceasefire and negotiations with Russia.

The United States responded to Ukraine's positive reaction by revoking the policy of suspending military aid. U.S. assistance resumed flowing to Ukraine. The United States also encouraged efforts to end the war that has been ongoing for three years.

Separately, the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Poland stated that the delivery of weapons to Ukraine is carried out through a logistics center in Poland. The shipments are conducted via the offices of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United States in the city of Rzeszow in eastern Poland. The Rzeszow base has been a hub for weapon deliveries to Ukraine for years.

S also restored Ukraine's access to unclassified commercial satellite imagery. "This access is provided by Maxar Technologies through a program run by Washington," explained Maxar Technologies spokesperson Tomi Maxted.

Access to these images has helped Ukraine plan attacks, measure their success and monitor Russian movements.

Regarding the restoration of military aid, several officials acknowledged that Kyiv no longer possesses Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles. According to a U.S. official and a Ukrainian lawmaker on the national defense committee who wished to remain anonymous, Ukraine has run out of ATACMS.

The U.S. official said the U.S. provided fewer than 40 ATACMS missiles.  Ukraine ran out of them in late January.

Senior U.S. defense leaders, including former Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin, once explained that the U.S. only sent a small number of ATACMs. The U.S. and NATO allies consider other weapons to be more valuable in combat.

U.S. military aid to Ukraine is crucial in confronting Russia. Ukraine's military is undermanned and its existing forces are exhausted. They are struggling to hold off Russia's larger military might.

For Russia, meanwhile, U.S. military aid could potentially create greater difficulties in achieving its war aims, making Washington's peace efforts more difficult in Moscow.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in transit on his way to Canada: “This is what we want from the world in a few days: No shooting, no rockets, no missiles, no bullets, no nothing ... and the talks begin.”

The US hopes Russia will stop its attacks on Ukraine in the next few days as a first step.

Rubio added, “Washington wants Moscow to agree without conditions. That’s what we want to know -- are they prepared to do it without conditions,” Rubio said.

In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he had received positive messages about a potential ceasefire, without providing details. Trump said, “If the fighting can stop, I think that would be 80 percent of the way to ending this terrible bloodshed.”

After the Jeddah meeting, Washington immediately sought a number of diplomatic channels with Russia to bring the results of the US-Ukraine meeting to Russia and see if President Vladimir Putin was ready to negotiate to end the war.

"People are going to Russia right now as we speak. And hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia," Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that national security adviser Mike Waltz spoke with his Russian counterpart on Wednesday. She also confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, would travel to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian news agency Tass also reported on Wednesday that SVR chief Sergei Naryshkin spoke by phone with CIA Director John Ratcliffe on Tuesday. “The two discussed cooperation in areas of mutual interest and resolving crisis situations,” according to a statement from the SVR.

Meanwhile, the defense ministers of France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Poland met in Paris to discuss how they can support Ukraine and the ceasefire.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the ceasefire. He stated that the 30-day ceasefire would allow both parties to fully prepare step-by-step plans to end the war. It also includes security guarantees for Ukraine.

"The technical question of how to effectively monitor the ceasefire along the front line spanning approximately 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), where small yet lethal drones are commonly found, is crucial," said Zelenskyy.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has chosen not to rush in responding to Washington's ceasefire proposal. He told reporters that Moscow is waiting for detailed information from the U.S. regarding the outcomes of the Jeddah meeting. Russia wants to obtain this information before taking a stance.

"Rubio and Waltz stated that they would provide us with detailed information through various channels regarding the core of the discussions that took place in Jeddah. First and foremost, we must receive this information," said Peskov.

The proposal for a ceasefire has also received responses from various parties. Russian Parliament member Konstantin Kosachev indicated caution regarding the ceasefire.

"Every agreement (with an understanding of the need for compromise) must be based on our terms, not those of America," said senior Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev in a post on the messaging application Telegram.

Member of Parliament Mikhail Sheremet told the state news agency, Tass, that Russia is not interested in continuing the war. However, at the same time, Moscow will not tolerate being deceived.

"The results of discussions with Saudi Arabia place the responsibility on Washington to persuade Moscow to accept and implement a ceasefire," said John Hardie, a defense analyst and Deputy Director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

As negotiations were being held, Putin was seen on Russian television Wednesday visiting a military base in Russia's Kursk region, where Kremlin forces have nearly driven out Ukrainian troops.

In recent days, the Russian military has entered the town of Sudzha, near the border, which has been occupied by Ukrainian troops since they launched a surprise offensive on Kursk in August.

Putin told the commanders he hoped the military would completely liberate the Kursk region from the enemy. (AP/AFP/REUTERS)