**Russia and Ukraine Agree to Naval Ceasefire in Black Sea**
After three days of peace talks in Saudi Arabia, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a naval ceasefire in the Black Sea. The agreement was made with separate deals with the US, which aims to reopen an important trade route.
The White House said that all parties would continue working towards a “durable and lasting peace”. They also committed to developing measures to implement a ban on attacking each other’s energy infrastructure.
However, Russia has said that the naval ceasefire will only come into effect after sanctions against its food and fertiliser trade are lifted. The Kremlin wants restrictions on servicing ships under the Russian flag involved in the food trade, as well as the supply of agricultural machinery and goods needed for food production.
**Ukraine’s President Welcomes Deal**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the deal to halt strikes in the Black Sea was a step in the right direction. He praised the US for its efforts to broker a truce between Russia and Ukraine, but warned that it was too early to say whether the deal would work.
**Sanctions and Energy Infrastructure**
Russia has demanded that sanctions on its banks, producers, and exporters involved in the international food and fertiliser trades be lifted before the naval ceasefire comes into effect. The US has said that they will help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports, but Zelensky described this as a “weakening of positions”.
Ukraine has committed to push for further sanctions on Russia and more military support from the US if Moscow reneges on its commitments.
**Ceasefire Terms**
The naval ceasefire agreement includes measures to prevent Russian warships from moving beyond the eastern part of the Black Sea. Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said that any movement by Russian warships would be treated as a violation of the agreement and a threat to Ukrainian national security.
A previous arrangement allowing safe passage of commercial ships in the Black Sea was agreed in 2022, but Russia pulled out in July 2023 after claiming key parts of the agreement had not been implemented.
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