Russia And Ukraine Black Sea Truce: Here's What We Know

Topline

Russia and Ukraine agreed to a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, White House officials announced Tuesday and Ukraine confirmed—though Russia has yet to respond to the reported deal, which includes the U.S. helping Russia boost its access to the global grain and fertilizer market.

Key Facts

Key Background

U.S. officials have been working for weeks to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The two countries last week accused each other of violating a ceasefire agreement on energy and infrastructure targets that Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed to in his March 18 phone call with President Donald Trump. U.S. officials also said following the call that a maritime ceasefire would be the next step in a solution toward ending the conflict.

What Access Does Russia Have To The Grain And Fertilizer Market?

Russia’s access to the global grain and fertilizer market has been strangled by sanctions on Russian ships and banks implemented by the G7 countries as punishment for its attacks on Ukraine, according to The Wall Street Journal. Russia briefly agreed to a deal brokered by the United Nations in 2022 that allowed both it and Ukraine to continue exporting grain through the Black Sea, but Russia backed out of the agreement the following year, citing the sanctions on Russian banks. Russia’s occupation of the Black Sea at the start of the war drove up global food prices, but Ukraine has restored its exports of grain and oilseed following a campaign to force Russian warships out of Ukrainian waters, The New York Times reported in May last year.

Tangent

White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, a key negotiator for the U.S. in the talks between Russia and Ukraine, sparked international criticism over his praise of Putin, who he called a “very smart guy” and “gracious” in an interview with Tucker Carlson released Friday. Witkoff, in line with a Russian talking point, suggested Ukraine should cede four territories to Russia, claiming “they are Russian-speaking” and that referendums—which have been widely discredited as fraudulent—have shown “the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated they want to be under Russian rule.” Witkoff also appeared to forget the names of the four regions. “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy,” he said, defending his “connection” with the Russian president, who Witkoff said he took “at his word” that he does not want to broadly invade other parts of Europe, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned. Witkoff reiterated his statements in an interview with “Fox News Sunday,” saying he trusts Putin isn’t eyeing a broader invasion and rejecting descriptions of Putin as a “tyrant.”

Further Reading

Ukraine, Russia Continue Attacks—Despite Limited Ceasefire Offer (Forbes)

Putin Suggests Concessions Needed Before Agreeing To Ceasefire (Forbes)

Trump’s Russia Envoy Downplays Concerns About Putin: ‘I Take Him At His Word’ (Forbes)