Revisiting the Black Sea Initiative: US‑Russia talks resume
On Monday in Saudi Arabia, delegations from Russia and the USA are set to hold talks. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, informed that the main topic will be the re-establishment of the so-called Black Sea Initiative.
Peskov stated that on Monday, "mainly" discussions will focus on "President Vladimir Putin's agreement" to restore the operation of the "so-called Black Sea initiative." "Our negotiators will be ready to discuss the nuances around this problem, and there are a huge number of them," he added, as quoted by the Russian agency Interfax.
This initiative was also, according to the Kremlin, the subject of a phone conversation between the leaders of the USA and Russia, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, conducted on 18th March.
The 2022 agreement that Russia broke
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was agreed upon in July 2022 through the mediation of Turkey and the UN. This endeavour allowed—despite the war—the export of nearly 32 million metric tonnes of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. Russia withdrew from the Initiative after a year, claiming that the export of its food and fertilizers faced serious difficulties.
The White House reported that Trump and Putin agreed on 18th March to technical negotiations regarding introducing a ceasefire in the Black Sea, as well as a complete ceasefire and lasting peace.
