Russia and Ukraine have agreed to stop hostilities in the Black Sea, the United States said on Tuesday March 25, Washington saying that he is ready to help Moscow exports its agricultural and fertilizer products on the world markets.
The Kremlin, however, posed a condition which does not seem to be fulfilled: it warned that this agreement will only be able to enter into force after the “Lifting” Western restrictions on Russian cereal and fertilizer trade.
Moscow and kyiv have accepted“Ensure the safety of navigation, to remove the use of force and to prevent the use of commercial ships for military objectives in the Black Sea”announced the White House in two separate press releases reporting on the discussions in recent days with the Ukrainians and the Russians in Saudi Arabia.
kyiv has embarked on ” implement “ The announcements of Washington, of “Good measures” According to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The two allied countries also agreed to involve countries ” third party “ In the supervision of a truce, which the Kremlin also welcomed.
“Weakening of sanctions”
The United States also undertakes, with regard to Ukraine, to “Support efforts with a view to exchanges of prisoners, the liberation of civilians and the return of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children”.
Moscow can count on the support of the White House to “Restoring Russia access to the global market for exports of agricultural and fertilizer products, reducing maritime insurance costs and improving access to ports and payment systems for these transactions”a major grievance of Moscow after the radical sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine.
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This is a “Weakening of sanctions”regretted Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference. This possibility was not “In our agenda, the American part raised it” During negotiations in Riyadh, he said.
Moscow and Washington will also “Develop measures” To allow the application of the thirty -day truce in strikes on energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.
Tuesday evening, he also said that this truce, discussed during talks with the United States, concerned in particular refineries, gas pipelines and power plants.
This thirty -day truce had been announced on March 18 by the presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump but never really applied, kyiv and Moscow accusing each other to continue the attacks.
“Details” to be settled
In Paris, the French presidency considered that the agreements announced on Tuesday by the White House were going “in the right direction” but were insufficient to reach a “Sustainable, solid ceasefire, even less to a peace agreement”.
During talks, the United States have “Repeated that President Donald Trump imperatively wanted to end the killings on both sides”.
Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Roustem Oumerov, called to organize “Additional technical consultations” to adjust them ” details “ agreements announced by the White House. He also warned that “All movement” Russian War Ships at the Black Sea off Ukraine will be a ” breach “ of the agreement of cessation of hostilities.
A cereal agreement in the Black Sea had enabled Ukraine from July 2022 to July 2023, to export its cereals, vital for world food, despite the presence of the Russian fleet in the area. Russia, itself a great exporter of wheat and fertilizer, then withdrawn from it, accusing Westerners of not respecting their commitments supposed to soften the sanctions on Russian exports.
“Not easy, but very useful”
Russia is accused by kyiv of playing the watch to take advantage of its advantage on the front. One of the Russian negotiators, Grigori Karassine, said that dialogue with the Americans on Monday had been “Intense, not easy, but very useful”. “We are far from having settled everything (…) But it seems to me that such a conversation is very timely ”estimated Mr. Karassine.
A new meeting between the Ukrainian and American teams was held on Tuesday morning in Riyadh. Since the start Sunday of these talks involving Washington, Moscow and kyiv, the American shuttle between the belligerents has not given rise to a global truce or a consensus on a moratorium on certain air strikes.
President Donald Trump, through pressure, had managed to obtain kyiv's theoretical agreement for an unconditional thirty-day ceasefire. But Vladimir Putin, while taking care not to rewind his American counterpart, has listed many requirements and says he wants to limit a truce to only strikes on energy infrastructure. Trump, who has exerted considerable pressure on kyiv, has so far shown himself indulgent with regard to Russia, even if he has mentioned the possibility of new sanctions in recent weeks.
Vladimir Putin, whose army is advancing on the ground despite heavy losses, does not seem in a hurry to conclude an agreement, especially because the Ukrainian forces still control territory in the Russian region of Koursk.
Source: Lemonde