by RT [3-25-2025 published].

(A lot of progress was made between the US & Russian negotiating teams. As you can see here and elsewhere, Ukraine doesn't seem interested in peace & keeps violating the agreements. Also, the EU isn't behind these peace objectives. How is all of this going to be resolved? — RAD)

The negotiations revolved around safe navigation in the Black Sea and Russian access to the world agricultural market.

The White House has released a statement on the US-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia, shedding some light on 12-hour talks held on Monday.

The “bilateral technical-level talks” focused on the situation in the Black Sea, as well as the agreement to halt strikes on “energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine” proposed by US President Donald Trump, the White House said on Tuesday.

“The United States and Russia have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea,” the statement reads.

The US has also pledged to “help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions,” according to the White House. Both Moscow and Washington remain committed to “working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace” to end the Ukraine conflict, it added.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that the negotiations explored the possibility of reviving the defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative, originally brokered in July 2022 by the UN and Türkiye. The deal envisioned the safe passage of Ukrainian agricultural exports in exchange for the West lifting restrictions on Russian grain and fertilizer trade. Moscow declined to renew the deal in 2023, citing the West’s failure to meet its obligations.

To renew the deal, Moscow needs firm guarantees from the US, which can “only result from a direct order issued by Washington to [Ukraine’s Vladimir] Zelensky and his team,” Lavrov explained, pointing to Kiev’s habit of breaking promises. Russia’s position now “is simple: We cannot take anyone’s word at face value,” he said in an interview with Channel 1.

“We need the clearest, most specific, verifiable, working guarantees and mechanisms [to revive the deal],” Lavrov stated. “We want the grain and fertilizer market to be predictable so that no one tries to kick us out of this market.”

Main outcomes of the Russia and United States expert groups meeting

by Kremlin [3-25-2025 published].

1. In line with the agreement reached by the presidents of Russia and the United States, the Russian and American sides agreed to provide for the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative, which includes ensuring safe navigation, eliminating the use of force, and preventing the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea, while adopting appropriate control measures by inspecting such vessels.

2. The United States will help restore Russia's access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.

Note:

Clauses 1 & 2 will come into force following:

the removal of sanctions imposed on Rosselkhozbank (Russian Agricultural Bank) and other financial institutions involved in ensuring international food trade (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers, their reconnection to SWIFT, and opening of relevant correspondent accounts;

the removal of restrictions imposed on trade finance operations;

the removal of sanctions imposed on companies producing and exporting food (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers, as well as restrictions banning insurance companies from working with food cargoes (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers;

the removal of restrictions on servicing ships in ports and sanctions against ships flying the flag of Russia, if they are involved in food trade (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers;

the removal of restrictions on supplies to the Russian Federation of agricultural machinery and other goods used in the production of food (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers.

3. Russia and the United States agreed to develop measures for implementing the agreement between the two countries' presidents to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine for 30 days starting on March 18, 2025, with an option to extend the agreement or to withdraw from it in the event of non-compliance by either party.

4. Russia and the United States welcome the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.

5. Russia and the United States will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace.

Russia and US agree list of energy facilities for truce with Ukraine – Kremlin

by RT [3-25-2025 published].

Nuclear power plants, oil and gas facilities, hydroelectric power plants, and other installations are all covered.

The Kremlin has released a comprehensive list of energy facilities subject to a temporary US-brokered truce between Russia and Ukraine. The pause in long-range strikes against such targets took effect on March 18 and will last for 30 days, according to Moscow.

The types of facilities covered under the truce include oil and gas processing and storage facilities, including pumping stations and pipelines, electricity producing and distribution sites, nuclear power plants, and the dams of hydroelectric plants.

The truce may be prolonged beyond the 30-day period should both sides agree, Moscow noted. If either party violates the deal, the other can consider itself free from its obligations, it added.

The suspension of strikes was originally proposed by Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call last week. The Russian leader agreed to it and immediately ordering the country’s military to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities. The Russian military later said it had to shoot down seven kamikaze drones that were already en route to targets in Ukraine in order to implement the order.

Zelensky publicly backed the idea of the truce shortly after it was first announced. However, Moscow accused Kiev of violating the ceasefire almost immediately, claiming that multiple energy facilities in Russia had been targeted by Ukrainian drones over the past week.

On Monday, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) condemned a Ukrainian attack on the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station, a vital energy site in Russia’s Krasnodar Region. CPC operates a major pipeline system carrying crude oil from the oil fields in Kazakhstan and Russia’s Caspian region to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and on global markets. The project is jointly owned by several stakeholders from Russia, as well as such US oil giants as Chevron and ExxonMobil.

“The actions of the Ukrainian authorities have a destructive impact on CPC’s financial results and, as a consequence, on all of its shareholders, including the Republic of Kazakhstan and companies from the United States,” the consortium said in a statement.

Russia and US agree to key maritime initiative – Kremlin

by RT [3-25-2025 published].

The deal ensures the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, according to a statement.

Russia and the US have committed to advancing the Black Sea Initiative as a step towards settling the Ukraine conflict, according to a statement released by the Kremlin on Tuesday.

The agreement follows the 12-hour talks focused on the Ukraine conflict held on Monday in Saudi Arabia by expert groups from the two countries.

The sides discussed steps to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, including a pledge to avoid the use of force and prevent commercial vessels from being used for military purposes, while agreeing on control measures such as ship inspections.

The US has vowed to “help restore access for Russian agricultural and fertilizer exports to the world market, reduce the cost of insurance for maritime transportation, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions,” according to the Kremlin statement.

The agreement envisions lifting restrictions on Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial institutions involved in international trade of food and fertilizers, including reconnecting them to the SWIFT payment system. It also includes removing sanctions on Russian-flagged vessels, port services, and the supply of agricultural machinery and related goods to Russia.

According to the statement, Moscow and Washington have also agreed to develop measures to enforce the 30-day ban on strikes against energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine that was agreed last week. There would be an option to extend the arrangement or abandon it if either side fails to comply.

The two sides also welcomed the involvement of third countries in supporting agreements on energy and maritime matters.

The US and Russia “will continue efforts to achieve a lasting and sustainable peace,” the statement concludes.

Originally brokered in July 2022 by the UN and Türkiye, the Black Sea Grain Initiative aimed to ensure the safe passage of Ukrainian agricultural exports in return for the easing of Western restrictions on Russia’s grain and fertilizer trade. Moscow did not renew the deal in 2023, citing the West’s failure to uphold its commitments.

Russia needs US guarantees to revive Black Sea grain deal – Lavrov

by RT [3-25-2025 published].

Moscow has accused the West of violating the previous agreement by not lifting restrictions on shipping.

Moscow must receive firm guarantees from the US to renew the defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Channel 1 on Tuesday. Russia did not renew the deal in 2023 after Western restrictions on its exports were not lifted.

The original Türkiye- and UN-brokered agreement, signed in July 2022, had two components: one ensuring the safe passage of Ukrainian agricultural exports, and the other requiring the West to remove restrictions on Russian grain and fertilizer exports. The deal expired in July 2023 when Moscow declined to renew it, citing Ukraine’s misuse of the corridor and the West’s failure to uphold its obligations.

The initiative and wider maritime security in the Black Sea were discussed during Russia-US talks held in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Commenting on the discussions, Lavrov said reviving the deal was treated as a priority, but that it was premature to speak of progress.

“We need the clearest, most specific, verifiable, working guarantees and mechanisms [to revive the deal],” the minister said. Such assurances can “only result from a direct order issued by Washington to [Ukraine’s Vladimir] Zelensky and his team,” Lavrov added.

The diplomat recalled past diplomatic breakdowns with Kiev, and said Russia’s position “is simple: we cannot take anyone’s word at face value.”

“We want the grain and fertilizer market to be predictable, so that no one tries to kick us out of this market,” Lavrov insisted.

The diplomat reiterated that any renewed deal must meet Russia’s demands, including the removal of obstacles to its food and fertilizer exports. These include sanctions on Russia’s shipping industry and its agricultural lender, Rosselkhozbank.

“We are open to the resumption – in some form more acceptable to all – of the Black Sea Initiative,” Lavrov said. “Our negotiators in Riyadh have reminded their American colleagues of this whole Black Sea story and made clear we would like for it to be free of any ambiguities this time.”

He added that US negotiators appeared to acknowledge Russia’s concerns and “understand that only Washington can achieve positive results” with both the grain deal and a broader Ukraine peace settlement.

The talks in Riyadh lasted more than 12 hours and came as part of a broader diplomatic push to end the Ukraine conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said both sides are evaluating the outcome and have no immediate plans to make further details public.

Ball in US’ Court on Ukraine: Trump Will Have to Force Ukraine to Fall In Line or Quit the Fight

by Ilya Tsukanov, Spunik [3-26-2025 published].

Russia has zero faith in Volodymyr Zelensky keeping his word on any agreement, including when it comes to the possible reactivation of of the Black Sea grain deal, and it will be up to the United States to force Ukraine to fall into line, Foreign Minister Lavrov has said. Sputnik asked a leading European geopolitical analyst about Trump's options.

“The US can make and unmake Ukraine, any time,” says veteran international affairs observer Paolo Raffone, highlighting the immense degree to which Kiev depends on Washington for military, economic and other support.

“The next US moves depend on domestic issues, namely the power struggle within the US deep state and its European epigons,” Raffone, the director of the Brussels-based CIPI Foundation think tank, explained.

If Trump’s team proves unable to impose peace on Kiev, Washington may simply quit the conflict, leaving it Europe’s problem. "It would not be the first time for the US to suddenly abandon a battlefield," Raffone pointed out.

“European support will not be able to fill the gap in the next months." But the even bigger problem that will fall on Europeans' heads is having "to deal with violent, armed Ukraine nationalists that may also destabilize several EU states to gain further unconditional support. Should Ukraine not follow the US-prescribed steps, the US will most probably be gone and Europeans will be in deep trouble for years to come,” Raffone fears.

As for Brussels, if it continues to pursue its strategy of attempting to consolidate a pan-European identity built on enmity toward Russia, it “may end up in the fragmented implosion of the EU, making each member state even less relevant in the global world. The contradiction with the EU founding principles – peace, stability, growth – is already quite evident,” the observer pointed out.

Black Sea