Russia and Ukraine agreed to prevent the use of force to secure shipping in the Black Sea, according to two White House statements published on Tuesday.
Both sides agreed to ensure the safety of civilian shipping, halt violence and prevent the use of commercial ships for military purposes, the statements said.
Representatives from the United States held separate talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the Saudi capital Riyadh over the last three days.
Ukrainian side said Russian naval vessels would only be allowed in the eastern half of the Black Sea. If Russian warships appeared in the western half, Ukraine would exercise its right to self-defense.
Ukraine confirmed that it had agreed to prevent the use of force in the Black Sea, but called for more talks to settle “details” of agreements announced by Washington.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the truce covering the Black Sea and energy infrastructure was effective immediately on Tuesday and that he would seek more weapons and sanctions on Russia from Donald Trump if Moscow broke the deals.
“If the Russians violate this, then I have a direct question for President Trump. If they violate, here is the evidence – we ask for sanctions, we ask for weapons, etc,” Zelenskyy told reporters at a news conference in Kyiv.
Third parties on truce
Russia previously withdrew from the Black Sea Initiative brokered by Türkiye and the U.N. in 2022 to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports following the outbreak of the war, because it felt that its own interests were not being safeguarded.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that a guarantee that Russia’s grain and fertilizer shipments would not be attacked could only be given by a corresponding U.S. order to Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials agreed “third parties”, like Türkiye, could oversee aspects of a future truce between Russia and Ukraine, Zelenskyy also said.
“That is not a bad thing, for example, someone from Europe or, for example, Türkiye can be involved in the situation at sea, and maybe someone from the Middle East in terms of energy.”
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