United States reached individual agreements with Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday, stopping attacks against sea and energy targets while vowing to work toward the lifting of sanctions on Moscow. The agreements represent the first formal pledges between the two adversary nations since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, as he seeks a resolution to the war in Ukraine and improved relations with Russia, a move that has alarmed Kyiv and European allies.
The US deal with Russia goes further than the deal with Ukraine, with Washington agreeing to work on removing international sanctions on Russian farming and fertilizer sales something of a long-time priority for the Kremlin. Yet Moscow has pushed for the deal to be conditional upon some Russian banks having their access to the international financial system restored. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected this assertion, saying that there was no such condition in the agreement and that Russia was manipulating the terms.
Kyiv and Moscow both questioned the seriousness of each other in fulfilling the agreements, and Russia insisted that Washington provide assurances to guarantee compliance by Ukraine. Zelenskyy warned that any infraction by Russia would lead him to ask for further US sanctions as well as intensified military aid. The agreements were reached after the negotiations in Saudi Arabia and latest telephone conversations involving Trump, Zelenskyy, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump offered a 30-day truce, which Putin countered, though there was a 30-day halt in attacks on energy installations agreed upon. Trump said the negotiations were going well despite the entrenched animosity between the two. His conciliatory tone towards Russia, such as his envoy’s assertions that Putin isn’t a “bad guy,” has concerned Europe about possible concessions to Moscow. Kyiv, which is apprehensive about Russia’s moves, has promised to stay on guard, stressing its right to defend itself if it feels threatened.
