Russia and Ukraine have reached an agreement to suspend military strikes on vessels in the Black Sea and pause attacks on energy infrastructure, according to statements from the White House following talks with both sides in Saudi Arabia.
The White House noted in two separate statements on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) that Moscow and Kyiv had “agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea”.
The agreement could mark a significant step toward de-escalation in the more than three-year conflict, but details on its enforcement and timing remain unclear.
Kyiv and Moscow stated they would depend on Washington to enforce the agreements but expressed doubts about each other's commitment to them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that the agreement was effective immediately.
"If the Russians violate this, then I have a direct question for [United States] President Trump. If they violate, here is the evidence - we ask for sanctions, we ask for weapons, etc," Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv.
"We have no faith in the Russians, but we will be constructive," he added.
However, Moscow maintained that the Black Sea truce would only take effect once sanctions on its state-owned agricultural bank were lifted. It also claimed the energy attack moratorium had been in place since last week.
The Kremlin reiterated that the Black Sea truce would “enter into force after the lifting of sanctions on Rosselkhozbank and other financial institutions involved in providing international trade operations in food and fertilisers.”
Moscow also claimed that a 30-day suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure had been in effect since 18 March, when President Vladimir Putin first discussed the matter with Trump. Russia suggested the agreement could be extended by mutual consent.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov voiced scepticism over Ukraine’s commitment, stating, “We will need clear guarantees. And given the sad experience of agreements with just Kyiv, the guarantees can only be the result of an order from Washington to Zelenskyy and his team to do one thing and not the other.”
