The United States, after consultations with the Ukrainian delegation and at the end of a two-day negotiating marathon in Riyadh, announced an agreement between Moscow and Kiev for a truce in the Black Sea and for an effective halt to attacks against energy infrastructure.

The White House reported that all three working groups, although at separate tables, "agreed on the same points." Donald Trump said that "a lot of progress" had been made.

Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the success of the negotiations, while expressing caution about the real intentions of the Russians, while the Kremlin cashed in on the American commitment on restrictions on Russian agricultural exports, something requested in exchange for the truce in the Black Sea.

There are five points agreed between the three parties.

- BLACK SEA: This is the main novelty, all parties have agreed to ensure safe navigation, to eliminate the use of force and to prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea. Moscow for its part has set conditions, demanding the lifting of US sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other banks involved in food trade.

- ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE: The United States and Ukraine have agreed to “develop measures to implement the agreement” to ban attacks on Russian and Ukrainian energy facilities. The Kremlin said this will be for a period of 30 days, starting March 18, 2025, with the possibility of extending and terminating the agreement in the event of non-compliance by either party.

- IMPLEMENTATION OF AGREEMENTS: The parties welcomed the good offices of third countries aimed at supporting and ensuring the implementation of the agreements in the energy and maritime sectors.

- LASTING PEACE: The United States reiterated to both sides Trump’s imperative that killings on both sides of the conflict must stop, as a necessary step to reach a lasting peace agreement. To that end, Washington will continue to facilitate negotiations between both sides to reach a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements reached in Riyadh.

- PRISONERS: The United States and Ukraine reiterated their support to help achieve the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children. Washington will continue to press Moscow to fully agree on the latter.

(Online Union)

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