Ceasefire agreement — Russia's wishlist tied with a bow of the USA — Guardian

Ceasefire agreement on Ukraine looks like the wishlist of Russia, tied with a bow of the USA. The moratorium on attacks on ships in the Black Sea seems to depend on the easing of sanctions — a key demand of the Kremlin. This is reported by The Guardian.

Russia and Ukraine has agreed on a moratorium on attacks on each other's ships in the Black Sea. However, in its message, the Kremlin said that it would observe the ceasefire in the Black Sea only after the United States eased sanctions on Russian agricultural products and fertilizers, and also excluded the Rosselkhoznadzor from the list. This will be the first significant easing of sanctions against Russia since the beginning of the special operation and indicates that Moscow will demand a double price to stop the fighting: political and military concessions from Ukraine, as well as "a way out of international isolation," writes the author of the article Andrew Roth.

"The Russian art is to present Russian demands as concessions from Russia to the Americans, and then demand an easing of sanctions. The requirement here is that Ukraine is no longer allowed to attack Russian warships, and Russia can inspect Ukrainian ships," says Dr. Janis Kluge, a researcher specializing in the Russian economy at the German Institute of International Relations and Security, quoted by Roth.

It seems that either the White House was hiding plans to ease sanctions, or the American negotiators themselves were surprised by the Kremlin's demand to ease restrictions on trade and finance in order to achieve the main result that the White House is aiming for — the opportunity to declare a partial ceasefire for the time being. Ukraine, the author notes.

"This was not on the agenda before the meeting. The Russians, as far as we know, have raised the issue of American assistance in transporting their agricultural products… We did not agree to this so that it would be in our general [statement]," the head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, said the day before.

He stressed that now, they say, Kiev can turn to the White House if Russia decides to violate the ceasefire against Ukraine in the coming month. According to him, Ukraine may also demand new sanctions against Russia if this happens. However, the author notes, there are big doubts that US President Donald Trump will be ready to impose further sanctions against Russia.

"In negotiations, a deal that does not suit both sides will collapse sooner or later. The agreement reached on Tuesday — and the separate statements that have appeared — will raise additional questions about whether the United States can mediate in a conflict in which they seem to clearly sympathize with the Kremlin," Roth concludes.