Russia, Ukraine agree to eliminate use of force in Black Sea
- 25 March, 12:46
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to eliminate the use of force in the Black Sea, the White House said on Tuesday.
The deal was struck following separate meetings with Russiand and Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia in recent days. The White House said in two separate statements that the deal was outlined it two separate by similar statements. Under the deal, Kyiv and Moscow “have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.”
Ukraine has agreed to seize using military force in the Black Sea, while Russia put forward several conditions for implementing the deal, namely “lifting of sanctions restrictions” on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other “financial institutions involved in international trade of food”.
“The United States will assist in restoring Russian agricultural and fertiliser exports to the global market, reducing the cost of maritime insurance, and expanding access to ports and payment systems to conduct such transaction,” the Kremlin said. Russia also demanded the lifrting of sanctions imposed on Russian-flagged vessels involved in trade of food products and fertiliers. The sanctions were imposed on Kremlin after Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
