Black Sea Deal Reached Between U.S., Russia, and Ukraine

The United States has reached separate agreements with both Russia and Ukraine to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes, the White House announced Tuesday.

The breakthrough comes after technical-level talks between U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian delegations held from Sunday to Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A key component of the agreement is a 30-day mutual ceasefire on strikes targeting energy infrastructure in both Ukraine and Russia, effective March 18.

While hailed as a step toward de-escalation, the ceasefire agreement is conditional, with both sides retaining the right to withdraw if terms are violated. Ukraine, for its part, emphasized that it would view any unauthorized Russian naval movement outside the eastern Black Sea as a violation of the agreement and grounds for self-defense.

In return for the agreement, the United States pledged to assist Russia in regaining access to global agricultural and fertilizer markets, including efforts to lower maritime insurance costs and unblock payment systems.

The Kremlin confirmed the agreement and stated that its implementation on trade access would begin only after certain sanctions against Russia are lifted.

Despite progress on maritime and energy matters, no agreement has been reached on territorial disputes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that negotiations will continue in the coming weeks to explore the possibility of a broader ceasefire arrangement.