(CNN) Secretary of Defense Mark Esper announced Thursday that the US and the Afghan Taliban "have negotiated a proposal for a seven day reduction in violence."

"The United States and the Taliban have negotiated a proposal for a seven day reduction in violence. I'm here today consulting with Allies about this proposal and we've had a series of productive bilateral and collective meetings about the path forward," Esper said, speaking from NATO headquarters.

"We've said all along that the best if not only solution in Afghanistan is a political agreement. Progress has been made on this front, and will have more to report on that soon, I hope," he added.

Esper said the proposal will be conditions based.

"It is our view that seven days, for now, is sufficient, but in all things our approach to this process will be conditions-based. I will say it again: conditions-based so it will be a continual evaluative process as we move forward, if move forward," he said.

Read More