The White House has seemingly brokered a deal between Russia and Ukraine for a ceasefire within the Black Sea.
Peace talks have been ongoing in Saudi Arabia today, and the White House just announced that Russia agreed to ‘ensure secure navigation, eliminate using force, and stop the use of economic vessels for military purposes within the Black Sea.’
Ukraine’s defence minister Rustem Umerov said Ukraine has also agreed to the ceasefire.
He added that if Russian military vessels move outside the eastern a part of the Black Sea, it could violate the agreement, and permit Ukraine to ‘exercise right to self-defence.’
The Black Sea has been a point of interest of the war between Russia and Ukraine, a significant shipping corridor on which each Russia and Ukraine have ports and coastlines.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier today that Moscow was up for resuming – ‘in some form, acceptable to everyone’ – a 2022 deal that allowed Ukraine to ship grain through the Black Sea to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger was a growing threat and high food prices had pushed more people into poverty.
The landmark Black Sea grain initiative was brokered by the UN and Turkey in the summertime of 2022.
Moscow halted it in July 2023 until its demands to get Russian food and fertiliser to the world were met.
In a press release today, the White House said: ‘The USA will help restore Russia’s access to the world marketplace for agricultural and fertiliser exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.
‘The USA and Russia agreed to develop measures for implementing President Trump’s and President Putin’s agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine.
‘The USA and Russia welcome the great offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.’
The agreement is a pointy turn from earlier this week when Vladimir Putin tried to sink a container ship reportedly carrying a cargo of weapons destined for Ukraine.
Two Iskander-M ballistic missiles were unleashed on a Black Sea port within the southern city of Odesa where the vessel had arrived after making a stop in Turkey.
Facilities on the three Black Sea ports around town have been frequent Russian targets within the three-year-long war.
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