After weeks of high -level talks that were often interrupted and then began again, Russia and Ukraine gave a strong message that they were willing to deposit weapons – even partly.
White House says it has been mediated for the conclusion of an agreement between the two countries for Interruption of military activity over the Black Seaafter his officials met with their counterparts from Moscow and Kiev in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.
This is a different deal from the most ambitious that had just been advertised just weeks earlier, as BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Landale points out when the US and Ukraine had talks in Jeddah.
The new agreement is full of “thorns”, including the list of Russia’s terms. The Kremlin said it would not be committed until the sanctions were lifted and the participation in the SWIFT payment network, requests that Trump says he is considering. Ukraine President Volodimir Zelenski has accused Russia of lying about the terms of the agreement.
There are other concerns about how durable the deal could be. Russia has defied agreements in the past and the White House has given little evidence that it is negotiating only in the interest of Ukraine. Ukraine says that the movement of Russian warships to the west will be treated as a violation of the terms.
BREAKING: Ukraine and Russia sign up to Black Sea deal after Saudi talks
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Zaporizia Nuclear Station will remain under Russian control
Russia has confirmed that Moscow has agreed to secure safe navigation in the Black Sea, the Kremlin announced earlier on Tuesday (25/3/26).
Russia and the United States have also agreed to deploy measures to stop blows in Russian and Ukrainian energy facilities for a 30 -day period that began on March 18, the Russian Presidency is added.
The Kremlin also stated that Moscow and Washington welcome the efforts of “third countries” aimed at facilitating the implementation of the Black Sea navigation agreements and the blows to the energy facilities in Russia and Ukraine, which the White House announced.
“Russia and the United States are welcoming third countries’ good services to support the implementation of agreements in the fields of energy and shipping,” the Russian presidency said, while Europeans are currently remaining on the sidelines of talks on Ukraine.
At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Zaporizia Nuclear Station is a Russian installation and its control to Ukraine or any other country is impossible.
Russian Diplomacy spokesman Maria Zaharova also said that the joint operation of this plant is not acceptable, as it would be impossible to properly ensure the station’s physical and nuclear safety.
Kiev is calling for consultations to regulate the “details” of the agreements announced by Washington
Ukraine has confirmed that it first approves a partial truce with Russia, which concerns the Black Sea, while also calling for talks to settle the “details” of the agreements announced by Washington, as the ambiguity remains for the date they are supposed to begin.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umero said in a post on Facebook that “all sides” agreed to “ensure safe navigation” and “eliminate the use of violence” in the Black Sea.
None of these two press releases accurately clarify when this agreement should come into force.
However, Rustem Umero warned that “Any Movement” of Russian Warships “outside the eastern side of the Black Sea” would be “a violation of the spirit of this agreement ”.
“In this case, Ukraine will fully have the right to exercise its right to self -defense,” he added.
The Ukrainian minister also said that the places involved in talks in Saudi Arabia had agreed to “develop measures” for the implementation of the agreement “banning the blows on energy infrastructures in Ukraine and Russia”.
This point had also been reported, without more clarification of these measures, by the White House.
Earlier in March, Russia and the United States announced that they have agreed to a truce for energy facilities, but since then the blows have continued.
Umero asked to organize new talks to settle the “details” of the agreements announced by the White House.
“For the effective implementation of the agreements, it is important to organize as soon as possible technical conversations to agree to all the details and technical aspects of the application, monitoring and control of the agreements,” he said.
Rustem Umero added that the United States “confirmed” their support for the exchanges of prisoners of war, prison civilians and children who were transported by violence outside Ukraine.
Russia: The ceasefire on energy infrastructure attacks concerns refineries, gas pipelines and power plants
Later, in his own announcement, the Kremlin announced that the truce in attacks on Ukraine and Russia’s energy infrastructure, discussed during talks with the United States, It mainly refers to refineries, gas pipelines and electricity plants.
This 30 -day truce was announced last week, on March 18, by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, but never really was implemented, with Kiev and Moscow to be accused of continuing the attacks.
According to the Russian Presidency’s announcement, the list of relevant facilities “agreed between Russia and the United States”.
The list includes oil refineries and gas pipelines and petroleumans, facilities aimed at almost every week by Ukrainian unmanned aircraft on Russian territory.
Also, power plants and transformers and electric substations, which have been attacked many times by Russia to Ukraine, causing great power outages.
Finally, it includes electricity nuclear power stations and hydroelectric dams, particularly sensitive infrastructures, with Kiev and Moscow many times that they have targeted them for three years.
The Russian Presidency said in its statement that “in the event of a violation of the moratorium on one side, the other may consider it to be exempt from the obligation to observe it”.
According to the Russian Presidency, the truce can also be “extended by joint agreement”.