Context: Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a naval ceasefire in the Black Sea and energy facilities after the US mediated peace talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Major Highlights of the Maritime Security Deal:
- Russia and Ukraine have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.
- There would be ban on strikes over energy facilities (of both countries), including:
- Oil refineries; Oil and gas pipelines and storage facilities.
- Electricity generation and transmission infrastructure (power plants, substations, transformers and distributors).
- Nuclear power plants and Hydroelectric dams.
- In exchange, the US has agreed to help restore ‘access to the world market’ for Russian agricultural and fertilizer exports. The US did not put direct sanctions on Russian agriculture, but had restricted Russia’s access to payment systems used for international transactions.
- This deal is a resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Location of Black Sea
- The largest inland body of water (salt-water) is situated in Eurasia.
- Bound by:
- Ukraine to the north and northwest
- Russia and Georgia to the east
- Turkey to the south
- Bulgaria and Romania to the west
- Black Sea is connected to the distant waters of the Atlantic Ocean by the Bosporus strait, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles strait, Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
- Many important rivers flow to the Black Sea, including the Don, the Danube, the Dniester and the Dnieper.
