Foreign Affairs

US Reaches Terms With Russia, Ukraine On Black Sea Shipping Ceasefire Deal

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The U.S. reached agreements with Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday to stop attacks on maritime traffic in the Black Sea and lay the groundwork for further progress toward peace, the White House announced.

Both Russia and Ukraine agreed to “ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea” in separate agreements, and both warring states also agreed to come up with plans to implement an agreement to not attack each other’s energy infrastructure, the White House announced. The progress announced Tuesday is the result of several days of negotiations involving Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia.

BREAKING @SecRubio says that Ukraine has ACCEPTED the U.S.’s deal to enter into a ceasefire. pic.twitter.com/gVZseN38e7

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 11, 2025

The U.S. and Ukraine further agreed that the U.S. is committed to returning Ukrainian prisoners of war to their home country, as well as securing the return of detained civilians and children, the White House said. Russian representatives agreed with the U.S. that the U.S. will help Russia regain its access to global markets to sell things like fertilizer and agricultural products.

Representatives from both Russia and Ukraine agreed that they will continue pursuing a lasting, durable peace to end the war, which has been ongoing for more than three years.

“The United States reiterated to both sides President Donald J. Trump’s imperative that the killing on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict must stop, as the necessary step toward achieving an enduring peace settlement. To that end, the United States will continue facilitating negotiations between both sides to achieve a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh,” the White House said in its statement announcing Tuesday’s progress. “The United States expresses gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his leadership and hospitality in once again facilitating these important discussions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information released by the White House.