What did Russia and Ukraine actually agree to in Black Sea truce?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The U.S. said it had agreed with Russia to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.
When the White House said this week that it had reached an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to eliminate the use of force in the Black Sea, it looked like a breakthrough. Then Russia listed its conditions, making it unclear what, if anything, would immediately change. Here’s what we know.
Not much. The U.S. said it had agreed with Russia to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.
That is effectively the status quo in the Black Sea, where Ukraine has largely secured navigation by driving back Russia’s fleet and has been careful to avoid hitting Russian commercial ships. Unless the truce protects Ukraine’s ports from Russian fire, the agreement does little more than codify the existing situation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country wouldn’t agree to the easing of sanctions on Russia.
In any case, Moscow said it would comply with a truce only after the West lifted sanctions on some of its banks, eased restrictions on Russian companies involved in food and fertilizer exports, and allowed broader port access to Russian ships carrying agricultural cargoes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country wouldn’t agree to any easing of sanctions under a deal. “This issue was not on the agenda before the meeting," he said.
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