KYIV - Ukrainians on Wednesday expressed hope that the 30-day ceasefire proposal Kyiv has agreed to would pave the way for a lasting peace in Ukraine with security guarantees ensured, but many remained cautious about Russian intentions regarding the deal.
"We want Ukraine. First and foremost, we want peace, but we don't believe in the ongoing negotiations," said Aliva Oleksandra, a displaced Ukrainian from the Donbas region whose husband is currently fighting Russian forces in the eastern frontlines.
"I don't believe that he (Putin) will hold back" Oleksandra added, saying that "Through a ceasefire, he aims to accumulate troops, produce missiles, and fully conquer us with such force."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Kyiv has accepted a 30-day ceasefire proposal with Russia after peace talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it was carefully following the results of the meeting that lasted for eight hours, and it was expecting details of the meeting from Washington.
Russia launched a military campaign against Ukraine in February 2022 after it claimed the West failed to provide security guarantees that Ukraine would not join NATO.
More than 12,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and an estimated 3.7 million people have been internally displaced, while around 6.1 million have sought refuge in Europe and beyond since the start of the war, according to data from UNHCR.
"First of all, I wish for peace for all of us. We are very tired of the war, and security guarantees are definitely needed, especially from America." said Kateryna, who did not want to share her full name for security reasons. "I am very nervous," she added.
With pending Russian response, the US and Ukraine have agreed on " an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties,” according to a joint statement.
But the statement does not specify any security guarantees to Ukraine, something that Zelensky and Ukrainian citizens are desperately seeking to achieve.
"I would like a stable life and just peace, but something in my heart tells me that these negotiations will not end there," said Konstantin, a Ukrainian citizen in Kyiv.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was heading the US delegation to the Jeddeh meeting with Ukraine, said he was hoping for a positive response from Russia, saying that a negative response would tell a lot about Russian intentions.
"I think that nothing will definitely change in the coming days," said Oleksandr Fedienko, member of the Ukrainian parliament’s security and defense committee.
"Okay, we can agree on a ceasefire, for example, in terms of shelling civilian cities... but if we consider the line of combat contact, in my opinion, nothing will change in the near future," he added.
