US Says Russia, Ukraine Agree to Maritime Cease-Fire in Black Sea

The agreement marks a shift in U.S. policy, with a focus on easing restrictions on Russian maritime trade and payments related to food and fertilizer exports.

A Russian floating dock is towed by tugboats through Bosphorus to the Black Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sept. 18, 2024. Yoruk Isik/Reuters

The United States has announced that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a maritime cease-fire for the Black Sea.

The countries 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 White House said in two March 25 statements—each outlining the conditions agreed to through U.S. mediation by each warring country.