After holding separate talks with Russian and Ukrainian delegations, the US announced that both sides had agreed to allow commercial shipping through the Black Sea, mirroring a similar arrangement established earlier in the war.

According to a Russian statement on the deal, Washington, Kiev, and Moscow agreed to the restoration of the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative. “In accordance with the agreement between the presidents of Russia and the United States, both sides have committed to implementing the Black Sea initiative,” it says. “This initiative includes guaranteeing safe navigation in the Black Sea, refraining from the use of force, and prohibiting the use of commercial vessels for military purposes, while establishing appropriate control measures through inspections of such vessels.”

The 2022 truce was meant to allow Ukraine to export grain, and Russia to ship fertilizer through the Black Sea. The Kremlin withdrew from the pact in 2023, explaining that Western sanctions were preventing Russia from exporting its products.

Under the deal that was announced on Tuesday, Washington pledged to would help Moscow’s exports reach buyers. The agreement was made after American officials spoke separately with Russian and Ukrainian officials on Monday.

While the renewed truce marks a major step towards President Donald Trump’s goal to end the war in Ukraine, President Zelensky said if Russia breaks the deal, he expects the White House would ramp up arms shipments to Kiev. “If the Russians violate this, then I have a direct question for President Trump. If they violate, here is the evidence – we ask for sanctions, we ask for weapons, etc.,” he told reporters.

Zelensky made a similar remark earlier this month regarding a 30 day ceasefire that was proposed by the US and Ukraine and presented to Russia. Those negotiations led to Kiev and Moscow agreeing to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Tuesday’s deal includes the implementation of the ceasefire on energy infrastructure as well as the Black Sea. Russia confirmed that both sides had presented each other with a list of energy targets that cannot be hit. “A list of Russian and Ukrainian facilities subject to a temporary moratorium on energy strikes was agreed between the Russian and US sides,” the Kremlin said.

Umerov went on to say that the Ukrainian military would attack Russia if its Black Sea forces operate outside of the ceasefire zone.

“The Ukrainian side emphasizes that all movement by Russia of its military vessels outside of [the] Eastern part of the Black Sea will constitute violation of the spirit of this agreement, will be regarded as violation of the commitment to ensure safe navigation of the Black Sea and threat to the national security of Ukraine,” he added. “In this case Ukraine will have full right to exercise [its] right to self-defense.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also expressed doubts about the viability of the agreement, saying Moscow would need “well-defined guarantees” and those “can only be the result of an order from Washington.” He added that the Kremlin does not trust Zelensky to keep his word.