“We will implement the agreements, we will be constructive.” This is what the Ukrainian president said. Volodymyr Zelensky, on the sidelines of the Riyadh summit, after having underlined that a "step in the right direction" had been taken. In fact, two separate declarations were made by the White House on the interviews in Saudi Arabia with Moscow e Kiev. Entitled Outcomes of US-Russia Black Sea Expert Groups in Riyadh March 23-25 ed Findings of US and Ukrainian expert groups, the released texts include commitments in 5 points, 4 of which are identical, while only the second one - points out theAdnkronos – it's different.
The statements open by recalling that, in line with the discussions at presidential level between Donald J. Trump e Vladimir Putin e tra Trump e Volodymyr Zelensky, “the United States facilitated bilateral technical-level talks with the Russian delegation and the Ukrainian delegation from March 23-25 in Riyadh.” Following those talks, as both statements read:
- - United States, Russia and Ukraine agreed to ensure safety of navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in Black Sea.
- The United States, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to develop measures to implement the agreement of President Trump and President Putin and President Zelensky to prohibit attacks against energy structures of Russia and Ukraine.
- The United States, Russia and Ukraine welcome the good offices of third countries in order to support the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.
- The United States, Russia and Ukraine will continue to work towards achieving a lasting and sustainable peace.
Al point 2 The statement with Moscow reads: The United States will help restore Russia's access to the world market for exports of agricultural products and fertilizers, to reduce the costs of marine insurance and to improve access to ports and payment systems for such transactions. While the second point of the statement with Kiev states: the United States and Ukraine agreed that the United States remains committed to contributing to the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian prisoners and the return of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children.
Both notes conclude with the reaffirmation that the United States reiterated to Moscow and Kiev “President Trump’s imperative to stop the killing on both sides of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as a necessary step to achieve a lasting peace solution. To that end, the United States will continue to facilitate negotiations between the two sides to reach a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh".
Ukraine: Kiev-Moscow agreement on Black Sea navigation
The United States has announced the agreement reached with Russia and Ukraine to ensure “safe navigation in the Black Sea“. In the statement released by the White House on the talks with Russia and Ukraine, an agreement is announced for a ceasefire “to ensure the safety of navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea”.
Ukraine has asked that there be “consultations” to work out the details of an agreement with Russia on such a partial ceasefire. “For the effective implementation of the agreements, it is important to hold additional technical consultations as soon as possible to agree on all the details and technical aspects of the implementation, monitoring and control of the agreements,” the defense minister wrote in X, Rustem Umerov.
Kiev at the same time warned that “all movements of Russian naval vessels outside the eastern part of the Black Sea will constitute a violation of the spirit of this agreement, will be considered a violation of the commitment to ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea and a threat to Ukraine's national security. In this case, Ukraine will have full right to exercise the right to self-defense,” Umerov also stressed.
Ukraine, OK with US for truce on energy facilities
“The United States and Ukraine have agreed to develop measures to implement President Trump and President Zelensky's agreement ban attacks on Russian and Ukrainian energy facilities“: this is one of the results of the work of the US-Ukraine expert group on the Black Sea, as announced by the White House.
“The United States and Ukraine welcome the good offices of third countries to support the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements“, reads the note from the White House.
Ukraine, US: Restore market access to Russia
- United States intend to “restore Russia's access to the world market for exports of agricultural products and fertilizers“. This is what we read in the White House statement on the talks with Russia and Ukraine. With regard to Ukraine, the White House confirms the United States' commitment "to help achieve the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of the civilian prisoners and the return of the Ukrainian children forcibly relocated“. “The United States reiterates President Trump’s imperative that deaths on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict must end, a necessary step to achieve a lasting peace agreement. To that end, the United States will continue to facilitate negotiations between both sides to reach a peaceful resolution, consistent with the agreements reached in Riyadh,” the statement read.
Oil, Russian flows at 5-month high
Meanwhile, le Russia's oil exports have reached the highest level in the last five months, as US-initiated talks to reach a ceasefire in the conflict in Ukraine conclude. This is reported BloombergCrude oil flows from all Russian ports in the four weeks to March 23 rose to 3,45 million barrels a day, the highest level since the period up to October 20. The increase occurred despite a slump in weekly flows, caused by lower shipments from Baltic and from Black Sea.
Crude oil exports were boosted by a new short-sea customer in the Mediterranean, the Post-Assad Syria. A first shipment of Russian crude, carried on a US-sanctioned tanker, arrived at the Syrian port of Baniyas late last week. Three more ships, all blacklisted by Washington, are said to be on the way.
