U.S. secretary of state hopes Russia will agree to ceasefire in Ukraine

WASHINGTON. March 11 (Interfax) - The United States hopes Russia will agree on a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday.

"Our hope that the Russians will say 'yes', that they will also agree," he told reporters after talks with the Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah.

Rubio said that contacts with Russia on the matter will take place "through multiple channels."

"We are going to take the offer to them. [...] If they say 'no' then we'll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here," he added.

Rubio and U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said that the U.S. side envisioned that the ceasefire could allow the parties to discuss a solution to the Ukraine conflict in a calmer atmosphere.