The Guardian: Russia and Ukraine agree to Black Sea ceasefire, US says

The US and Russia, as declared by the US in today’s statement and later confirmed by Russia, agreed to “ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.”

The US and Russia also agreed to “develop measures for implementing the earlier agreement to stop strikes against energy infrastructure”. This will demand the US to intervene with the Ukrainians.

In exchange, the US commits “to restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.” This is a partial annulation of sanctions targeting the agriculture and fertilizer industries and their exports and will allow normalization for Russia’s international trade and transport in these areas.

All in all, this is a wonderful news and a balanced approach to a full ceasefire … if Ukraine agrees with this US deal and will not break the deal.

Of course, some lunatics that prefer war already loudly attack this step towards peace. The Guardian reports about the statement from Bill Browder, a former investor in Russia turned activist, who was dispossessed by the Russian Government, who is already ferociously attacking this agreement in the public sphere.