New Delhi, Mar 12 (PTI) The European Union (EU) on Wednesday welcomed Ukraine's decision to agree to a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, an outcome that emerged following talks between American and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia.

The 27-nation EU said it is ready to play its "full part" in supporting the upcoming steps, together with Ukraine, the U, and other partners.

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It is not yet clear whether Russia will accept the proposal with the Kremlin saying it is waiting for a briefing by the US on the outcome of its talks with Ukraine in Jeddah on Tuesday.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said the bloc "welcomes the joint statement by Ukraine and the US following their meeting in Saudi Arabia, including the proposals for a ceasefire agreement".

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"The European Union is ready to play its full part in supporting the upcoming steps, together with Ukraine, the United States, and other partners," she said.

Kallas said the EU's objective is to support Ukraine to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

"The proposal of a ceasefire - if accepted by Russia - can be an important step in this direction. It is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," she said.

Following their talks, Ukraine and the US in a joint statement said Kyiv expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to "enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation".`

It said the US will "communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace".

The US will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine, it said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)