Russia and Ukraine have reached an agreement to halt military strikes in the Black Sea and on energy infrastructure following negotiations mediated by the United States. The talks, held over three days in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, mark a significant diplomatic effort as US negotiators shuttled between delegations from both countries.
In parallel statements, the White House announced that both nations had “agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.” The agreement also includes efforts to enforce a ban on attacks targeting energy sites in Ukraine and Russia.
Conditions for implementation
While Ukraine has welcomed the development, the Kremlin said that the agreement on the Black Sea would only take effect after restrictions on its agricultural sector are lifted. Moscow has long pushed for the removal of Western-imposed limitations, particularly those restricting Russian access to international financial systems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that it remains to be seen whether the agreement will be fully implemented but emphasised that it represents “the right steps” toward peace. He also indicated that discussions had included the possibility of involving third-party nations in monitoring compliance, Turkey for the Black Sea and a Middle Eastern country for energy agreements.
US offers concessions on Russian agriculture
As part of the negotiations, the US pledged to “help restore access to the world market” for Russian agricultural and fertilizer exports. Although direct sanctions on Russian agriculture were never imposed, restrictions on payment systems had effectively limited trade. Moscow has frequently accused Western policies of exacerbating global food prices, particularly in developing nations.
Russia said that the agreement would only come into force following the removal of sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial institutions engaged in food trade, including their reconnection to the SWIFT international payment system.
Zelenskyy, while acknowledging that he was unaware of the full details of the US decision, expressed concern that such a move might weaken existing sanctions against Russia.
Ongoing military tensions
Despite this diplomatic breakthrough, tensions remain high on the battlefield. Ukraine’s defense minister Rustem Umerov noted that specifics of the Black Sea agreement were still being finalised. He warned that if Russian warships moved from the eastern part of the Black Sea, Ukraine would retain “the full right to exercise self-defense.”
Earlier this month, Ukraine accepted a US-proposed unconditional ceasefire, but Russia declined, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of seeking to strengthen its position before engaging in peace talks.
Meanwhile, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov gave no indication that Moscow was willing to agree to a broader ceasefire, instead prioritising Black Sea shipping. He also accused Western nations of attempting to “contain” Russia, drawing comparisons to historical figures such as “Napoleon and Hitler.”
