Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the proposed Black Sea Initiative was a new deal - not an extension of an earlier agreement.
"This is a new agreement, the contours of which are currently being discussed," Zakharova said when asked by Reuters if the proposed deal was an extension to an earlier memorandum of understanding under which U.N. officials agreed to help Russia get its food and fertiliser exports to foreign markets.
Russia said on Tuesday the United States had agreed to help it lift a series of Western sanctions and restrictions on food, fertiliser and shipping companies as preconditions for a maritime security deal in the Black Sea.
Read next
22:36
Ukraine-Russia War
President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine has drawn strong criticism from Kyiv, as Ukrainian leaders question the sincerity behind Moscow’s gesture amid continued hostilities and deep mistrust.
19:51
Russia and Ukraine said Saturday they each swapped hundreds of prisoners in the largest exchange since the Russian full-scale invasion started over three years ago.
10:56
US
U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have stated that the United States will abandon efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine unless significant progress is made in the coming days.
02:27
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
22:30
Russian rouble
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment