Under US mediation, Russia and Ukraine reached separate agreements to suspend attacks at sea and on energy facilities, while the United States agreed to seek the lifting of some sanctions against Moscow.
The agreements are the first formal commitments by the two warring sides since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. Washington pledges to help secure the lifting of international sanctions on Russian agriculture and fertiliser exports.
However, Russia and Ukraine were sceptical that the other party would comply with the agreements. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said:
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 [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky and his team to do one thing and not the other.
The deals were reached after 12 hours of talks in Saudi Arabia that followed separate phone calls last week between Trump and the two presidents, Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Washington also softened its rhetoric on Russia in recent days, with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff saying he did not “regard Putin as a bad guy.” The US stance has caused alarm among European officials.
As part of the energy truce, the parties agreed not to strike oil refineries, oil and gas pipelines, as well as oil and gas storage and pumping stations. Strikes are also prohibited against any electricity-generating infrastructure, including nuclear power plants and hydroelectric dams.
The ban on energy strikes is valid for 30 days starting from 18 March. Russia and Ukraine can extend it, but in case of violation, the other party has the right to consider itself free of all obligations.
The sides also pledged to ensure the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative, which includes ensuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, non-use of force and preventing the use of commercial vessels for military purposes.
