Russia Agrees To Ensure Safe Navigation In Black Sea

Moscow has agreed to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, provided that Western sanctions are lifted against companies involved in food and fertilizer exports, the Kremlin said.

Russia and the United States have also agreed to develop measures to halt strikes on Russian and Ukrainian energy facilities for a period of 30 days that began on March 18, it added.

The Kremlin also confirmed that the US agreed to help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, but outlined a number of conditions.

It said implementation of both parts of the agreement would require Western sanctions on Russia’s Rosselkhozbank, which services agriculture firms, to be lifted, and the bank’s access to the SWIFT international messaging system restored.

Sanctions on Russian food and fertilizer exporters, insurance firms, servicing food and fertilizer shipments, restrictions on vessels and trade finance operations, would have to be lifted as well, it said.

REUTERS/Christopher Ojilere