The talks, which included separate meetings between US officials and delegations from both countries, mark a significant step in ongoing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the war that has continued for more than three years.
If fully implemented, this agreement would represent the most concrete progress toward a broader ceasefire, a key objective the US has been advocating since President Donald Trump’s return to office.
Discussions on Monday primarily focused on ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea, but Trump also indicated that territorial issues and ownership of power plants were included in the talks.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed Ukraine’s commitment to the agreement, stating that the country had agreed to "ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea."
He further added, "All parties agreed to develop measures for implementing the president's agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Ukraine and Russia." Umerov emphasized that Ukraine was working toward a "durable and lasting peace."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believed the truce was effective immediately.
Speaking at a news conference, he warned of potential consequences if Russia violated the agreement. "If the Russians violate this, then I have a direct question for President Trump. If they violate, here is the evidence - we ask for sanctions, we ask for weapons, etc.," Zelensky stated, according to Sky News.
Following the White House’s confirmation that Russia had agreed to safe navigation in the Black Sea, the Kremlin also announced its commitment to halting strikes on energy facilities for a period of 30 days, starting on March 18. However, Russian officials expressed concerns over Ukraine’s compliance and insisted on stronger assurances from the US.
"We will need clear guarantees. And given the sad experience of agreements with just Kyiv, the guarantees can only be the result of an order from Washington to Zelensky and his team to do one thing and not the other," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Grigory Karasin, a Russian official who participated in the negotiations, described the talks as "intense" but "useful." He told TASS news agency, "Everything was discussed - there was an intense, challenging dialogue, but it was very useful for us and for the Americans."
The White House statement on the negotiations with Russia that the US would also assist in "restoring Russia's access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lowering maritime insurance costs, and enhancing access to ports and payment systems for such transactions."
