Saudi Arabia: Russia and Ukraine have agreed to eliminate the use of force in the Black Sea following parallel negotiations with US officials in Saudi Arabia. However, the Kremlin has stated that a maritime ceasefire will only take effect if sanctions on Russian agricultural exports are lifted.
The White House is currently reviewing Russia’s conditions, with US President Donald Trump confirming that the Kremlin has proposed several terms, including access to international financial systems and reduced maritime insurance costs. While Moscow claims Washington has agreed to concessions, Trump has stopped short of confirming any sanctions relief.
Both nations have also agreed to a 30-day halt on attacks against energy infrastructure, extending the scope of an earlier truce. However, fundamental issues, including territorial disputes, remain unresolved. Reports suggest Russia has insisted on full control over three Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—though Kyiv has rejected any formal recognition of Russian occupation beyond the existing lines of control.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the ceasefire agreement but voiced concerns about US negotiations with Russia regarding territorial matters. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that, “We are worried when they talk about us without us.”
How Russia behaves in the coming days will reveal a lot—if not everything. If there are air raid alerts again, if there is renewed military activity in the Black Sea, if Russian manipulations and threats continue—then new measures will need to be taken, specifically against… pic.twitter.com/godMMN8d3K
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 25, 2025
Moscow has tied the ceasefire in the Black Sea to the lifting of sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial institutions involved in food exports. The Kremlin demands restoring Russia’s access to the SWIFT payment system and the removal of trade restrictions on Russian-flagged vessels.
Despite Kremlin claims, Trump has remained noncommittal, stating that, “There are about five or six conditions. We’re looking at all of them.”
Zelenskyy has criticised the negotiations, calling any potential sanctions relief a “weakening of our position.” He also condemned Trump’s special envoy to Russia, Steve Witkoff, for legitimizing Moscow’s staged referendums in occupied territories.
Ukraine has called for an immediate halt to Russian attacks on port facilities in Odesa and elsewhere as part of the maritime truce. However, it has warned that any movement of Russian military vessels beyond the eastern Black Sea would violate the agreement.
Discussions on enforcing the ceasefire are ongoing, with Ukraine suggesting that Turkey or Saudi Arabia could play a role in monitoring security in the Black Sea. Meanwhile, European nations may assist with energy and maritime oversight.
Trump also revealed that talks with Russia included discussions about the ownership of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, currently under Russian control. However, Moscow has dismissed any speculation about transferring control of the plant, stating that it will not be handed over to Ukraine or any other country.
As negotiations continue, Zelenskyy remains cautious, warning that trust in Russia is low. Zelenskyy stated that, “We have no faith in the Russians,” but emphasised Kyiv’s commitment to constructive efforts toward ending the war.
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