Russia has expressed its willingness to establish a new agreement ensuring the safety of shipping in the Black Sea, which could potentially pave the way for a ceasefire with Ukraine. However, this comes with a condition: Russia demands that the United States must “order” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to respect the agreement.
According to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Russia requires clear guarantees, which can only be achieved through an order from Washington to Zelenskiy and his team. Lavrov emphasized that Russia’s past experiences with agreements solely with Kyiv have been disappointing.
Lavrov’s comments suggest that Russia is seeking a more significant commitment from the United States, specifically in terms of pressuring Zelenskiy to comply with the agreement. This demand for increased U.S. involvement is likely driven by Russia’s concerns about Ukraine’s reliability in adhering to agreements.
The proposed maritime ceasefire would be a successor to the earlier Black Sea deal, which allowed Ukraine to export nearly 33 million metric tons of grain despite the ongoing war. However, the previous agreement collapsed in 2023, with each side blaming the other for its failure.
Russia’s withdrawal from the previous agreement was attributed to the challenges faced by its own food and fertilizer exports due to Western sanctions. Kyiv, on the other hand, accused Russia of obstructing the initiative.
Lavrov emphasized the need for a “predictable” market for grain and fertilizer, highlighting Russia’s concerns about the reliability of Ukrainian commitments. The Black Sea initiative was a key topic of discussion during a meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The Kremlin has announced that both Russia and the U.S. are analyzing the outcome of the talks, but the details will not be made public. As the situation develops, it remains to be seen whether the U.S. will agree to Russia’s demands and whether a new agreement can be reached.
