Russia and Ukraine agreed to a maritime ceasefire to allow ships to transit the Black Sea. Russia dropped a similar agreement in 2023.

The White House announced Tuesday that it had reached separate agreements with Russia and Ukraine to allow for “safe navigation” in the Black Sea, eliminating a major roadblock for peace talks between the two countries.

Amfitriti, a bulk carrier part of the Black Sea grain deal, and other commercial vessels wait to pass the Bosphorus strait off the shores of Yenikapi in Istanbul, Turkey, May 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mehmet Emin Caliskan/File photo MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the proposed Black Sea Initiative was a new deal - not an extension of an earlier agreement.