U.S. gets Russian and Ukrainian commitment to Black Sea ceasefire
Russia and Ukraine agreed Tuesday to expand their initial limited ceasefire on energy infrastructure to include the Black Sea after U.S.-sponsored indirect talks in Saudi Arabia.
In separate joint statements from the White House — one between the United States and Russia, another between the U.S. and Ukraine — the two countries agreed to “ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes” in the Black Sea. It did not specify when the limited ceasefire would go into effect.
The statements — which came after this week’s technical talks in Riyadh — differed in two key ways. The U.S. also separately agreed to help Russia gain access to the world markets to export fertilizer and other agricultural products and reiterated its commitment to Ukraine to help facilitate the exchange of prisoners of war, civilian detainees and kidnapped children.
Read the full story here.
Russia and Ukraine agreed Tuesday to expand their initial limited ceasefire on energy infrastructure to include the Black Sea after U.S.-sponsored indirect talks in Saudi Arabia.
In separate joint statements from the White House — one between the United States and Russia, another between the U.S. and Ukraine — the two countries agreed to “ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes” in the Black Sea. It did not specify when the limited ceasefire would go into effect.
The statements — which came after this week’s technical talks in Riyadh — differed in two key ways. The U.S. also separately agreed to help Russia gain access to the world markets to export fertilizer and other agricultural products and reiterated its commitment to Ukraine to help facilitate the exchange of prisoners of war, civilian detainees and kidnapped children.
Read the full story here.
Zelensky and Trump may be doing better, but tough issues lie ahead
The consequences of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s contentious White House visit last month appear to have abated. But this week’s negotiations in Saudi Arabia suggest the conversation over how to end the war in Ukraine will only get harder.
Russia and Ukraine agreed Tuesday to expand a partial ceasefire to include the Black Sea, a development that followed the resumption of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv. Both the United States and Ukraine have expressed optimism in recent weeks, smoothing over the fallout of Zelensky’s bruising Oval Office meeting.
Yet, even in announcing an agreement, Russia and Ukraine issued separate joint statements with the United States that read very differently, suggesting that the two countries would not be meeting at the same negotiating table anytime soon. And the path ahead is rife with potential hurdles.
Read the full story here.
The consequences of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s contentious White House visit last month appear to have abated. But this week’s negotiations in Saudi Arabia suggest the conversation over how to end the war in Ukraine will only get harder.
Russia and Ukraine agreed Tuesday to expand a partial ceasefire to include the Black Sea, a development that followed the resumption of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv. Both the United States and Ukraine have expressed optimism in recent weeks, smoothing over the fallout of Zelensky’s bruising Oval Office meeting.
Yet, even in announcing an agreement, Russia and Ukraine issued separate joint statements with the United States that read very differently, suggesting that the two countries would not be meeting at the same negotiating table anytime soon. And the path ahead is rife with potential hurdles.
Read the full story here.