[…] Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement on Tuesday, brokered by the United States, to suspend attacks on energy infrastructure in both countries. The talks also resulted in a cessation of hostilities in the Black Sea — perhaps the most significant development of the negotiations — though the Kremlin has conditioned this on the lifting of Western sanctions on Russia’s agricultural sector.
In two statements jointly approved by both parties, Washington has committed to overseeing compliance with the agreement. Notably, the statements do not impose the initially proposed 30-day limit on the truce. Furthermore, the U.S. has pledged to assist Russia in restoring its agricultural and fertilizer exports, which have been restricted by Western sanctions.
Beyond these official declarations, the Kremlin has outlined, in its own statement, the commitments and agreements made with Washington. The most significant, according to Moscow, is the implementation of what it calls the “Black Sea Initiative,” which “prevents the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.”
In exchange, Russia seeks the lifting of sanctions. The Kremlin has made it clear that the grain agreement will not take effect unless restrictions on agricultural machinery exports to Russia and banking operations in the sector are lifted. Specifically, Moscow insists that Russian financial institutions involved in agricultural exports — including Rosselkhozbank, the country’s main agricultural bank — must be reconnected to SWIFT, a global financial messaging system crucial for secure money transfers. Läs artikel
