Russia, US reach agreement on Black Sea security and energy truce

Shafaq News/ Russia and the United States reached key agreements following expert-level talks, the Kremlin stated on Tuesday.

As part of the Black Sea Initiative, both sides agreed to measures ensuring safe navigation and preventing the use of force or commercial vessels for military purposes. The initiative will include vessel inspections to enforce compliance.

“The United States will help restore Russia's access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports,” reducing maritime insurance costs, and easing port and payment system access for these exports.

The implementation of these agreements is contingent upon the removal of sanctions on Russian financial institutions, agricultural exporters, and shipping entities. The Kremlin specifically listed the lifting of restrictions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial bodies involved in global food and fertilizer trade, as well as the removal of bans on trade finance operations and ship servicing.

“Russia and the United States agreed to develop measures for implementing the agreement between the two countries' presidents to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine for 30 days starting on March 18, 2025, with an option to extend the agreement or to withdraw from it in the event of non-compliance by either party,” the statement added.

The agreement allows for an extension beyond 30 days, but either side can withdraw if the other violates the terms.

When asked by a reporter about the sanctions Russia insists must be lifted before implementing the Black Sea deal, the US president Donald Trump responded, "We're thinking about all of them right now. We're looking at all of them."

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed this claim, stating that the agreements did not hinge on sanctions relief.

"Unfortunately, even now, on the very day of negotiations, we see how the Russians have already begun to manipulate," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "They are already trying to distort agreements and deceive both our intermediaries and the entire world," according to media outlets.