Zelensky says US deal is ‘correct measures’ and slams backing for Russian exporters

Ukrainian President Zelensky praised US-brokered agreements between Ukraine and Russia to suspend attacks in the Black Sea and on energy facilities on Tuesday, but criticized Washington for agreeing to loosen restrictions on Russian exports.

An previous White House statement on the subject did not specify when such a halt would take effect or which limits would be eased, and initial responses from Kiev and Moscow indicated obvious disputes.

US officials reached the accords after meeting separately with teams from Ukraine and Russia in the Saudi capital of Riyadh for three days.

“These were the appropriate meetings, decisions, and actions. “No one can accuse Ukraine of not moving toward long-term peace after this,” Zelensky stated at a news conference in Kyiv.

He did, however, warn that it was “too early to say that it will work”.

Ukraine expected the partial ceasefire would take effect as soon as Washington publicized the agreements, Zelensky added, but Russia insisted that the US first relax restrictions on Russian agricultural exports.

The US has never officially sanctioned Russian agriculture, but it has blocked access to financial networks used in international trade.

Zelensky criticized Washington’s plan to assist restore Russia’s access to the global market for agricultural exports, claiming it was “weakening” friends’ positions.

He promised Ukrainians would “do our job to implement the agreements,” but specifics needed to be worked out.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who participated in the Riyadh talks with the US, stated on social media that “it is important to hold additional technical consultations as soon as possible to agree on all the details and technical aspects of the implementation, monitoring, and control of the arrangements.”

However, if Russian vessels leave the eastern Black Sea, Umerov stated, “Ukraine will have full right to exercise right to self-defence.”

Ukrainian and US officials agreed that other countries, such as Turkey, might monitor certain components of a potential peace between Russia and Ukraine, Zelensky stated.

A proposed agreement with the United States to harvest vitally critical minerals in Ukraine was also under negotiation. It was supposed to be signed in Washington last month, but then Trump and Zelensky had a dramatic televised confrontation.

Washington proposed a new agreement, Zelensky said, adding that it was a “big, complete deal” but he had yet to see details.

Ukraine had intended to get security assurances in exchange for access to mineral resources, but earlier versions offered little protection, and Washington has refused to send any peacekeeping forces to Ukraine.

Zelensky stated that he expected an upcoming Paris meeting to provide clarity on which nations would contribute forces to supervise potential peace deals by sending peacekeepers to his country.

C