On Tuesday, the United States announced two separate cease-fire agreements between Ukraine and Russia. Both countries committed to stop strikes in the Black Sea and halt bombing each other’s energy targets.
Led by former President Donald Trump, the U.S. published two separate joint statements with Moscow and Kyiv outlining the deals, but neither document set out a clear timeline for their implementation.
Implementation Disputes
Despite the agreements, rhetoric from Moscow and Kyiv suggests they remain far apart. On Wednesday, Ukraine and Russia accused each other of breaking the truce on energy strikes brokered by the United States, and the European Union said it would not meet conditions set by Russia for a planned ceasefire in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the U.S. informed Kyiv the deals were effective immediately upon being announced.
However, the Kremlin asserted that the Black Sea agreement would not begin until a sanctioned Russian state bank was reconnected to the international payment system. Europe responded that the condition would not be met until Russia withdrew from Ukraine.
Cease-fire Agreements Early Violations
The Kremlin contends it has been implementing a pause on energy attacks since March 18. Nevertheless, a senior Ukrainian presidential official reported that Russia has attacked eight Ukrainian energy facilities since that date.
