Washington, March 25, 2025 – The United States has announced that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to halt attacks in the Black Sea. The White House issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the agreement.
According to the statement, both countries have committed to ceasing hostilities, withdrawing military forces, and ensuring safe passage for ships in the Black Sea. Additionally, they pledged not to use commercial vessels for military purposes.
The ceasefire discussions were initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Representatives from the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine attended the talks. However, Russian and Ukrainian delegates did not hold direct meetings; instead, the U.S. acted as a mediator, facilitating discussions separately.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Ukraine’s delegation in Riyadh, confirmed the agreement. However, he stated in an interview with Al Jazeera that Ukraine would continue to monitor the Black Sea and would target any Russian military ships found in the area.
Russia has yet to officially respond to the agreement.
The talks, which began on Monday, lasted over 12 hours before both sides agreed to a ceasefire.
In 2022, Russia had previously agreed to a similar ceasefire in the Black Sea through a Turkish-mediated deal. The agreement was meant to ensure safe passage for Ukrainian grain exports in exchange for lifting some sanctions on Russia. However, Russia withdrew from the deal in 2023, citing Europe’s failure to honor its commitments.