Zelensky Hails U.S.-Brokered Deal as Russia and Ukraine Agree to Halt Black Sea, Energy Strikes
(whatever)Riyadh, March 25, 2025 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday welcomed a U.S.-brokered agreement between Ukraine and Russia to suspend military strikes in the Black Sea and on energy infrastructure, calling it a “step in the right direction” toward peace.
The deal, finalized after three days of talks in Saudi Arabia, reflects President Donald Trump’s push to end a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Negotiated separately with delegations in Riyadh, the agreement commits both nations to ensure safe navigation, halt the use of force, and bar commercial vessels from military use in the Black Sea, according to parallel White House statements. The U.S. also pledged to enforce a ban on attacks on energy sites in both countries. In a key concession, Washington offered to ease restrictions on Russian agricultural exports, a move aimed at incentivizing Moscow’s cooperation.
Zelensky, speaking in Kyiv, said the deal’s success remains uncertain but emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to peace. “No one can accuse Ukraine of not moving toward sustainable peace after this,” he told reporters, noting discussions about third-party oversight, with Turkey potentially monitoring the Black Sea and a Middle Eastern nation overseeing energy compliance.
The Kremlin tied the implementation of the Black Sea deal to the lifting of sanctions on its agricultural sector, including reconnecting the Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT payment system. Moscow has long argued that Western policies, not the war, drive global food price hikes, a narrative it pushes to developing nations.
Trump, who spoke directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin after taking office, ended years of Western isolation of the Kremlin leader. The U.S. move to restore Russia’s access to world markets for agriculture and fertilizers—previously hampered by payment system restrictions—marks a first step in this thaw. Zelensky, however, expressed concern, warning that it “weakens sanctions” and the broader diplomatic stance against Russia.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, a participant in the talks, said Black Sea details are still being finalized and cautioned that Ukraine reserves the right to self-defense if Russian warships reposition aggressively. The deal follows Kyiv’s acceptance of a U.S.-proposed ceasefire earlier this month, which Russia rejected, prompting accusations from Ukraine that Moscow seeks battlefield gains first.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, focusing on Black Sea shipping rather than a broader truce, echoed past complaints about a failed UN grain export deal. Before the U.S. agricultural offer, he accused the West of trying to “contain” Russia like “Napoleon and Hitler.”
Meanwhile, fighting intensifies. Ukraine downed 78 of 139 Russian drones on Tuesday, while a strike in Sumy left 101 wounded, including 23 children. Russia claimed two more villages in the south and east, underscoring the ongoing escalation despite diplomatic efforts.
https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/26/zelensky-hails-u-s-brokered-deal-as-russia-and-ukraine-agree-to-halt-black-sea-energy-strikes/
