Moscow’s demands are slowing the process and giving it the advantage in talks with a deal-hungry United States, experts said.

Russia's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that Ukraine had launched three attacks on Russian civilian energy infrastructure on Monday as Russian and U.S. officials held talks in Saudi Arabia about a possible ceasefire agreement.

The US push for a Black Sea ceasefire, that’s led to the Kremlin seeking some sanctions relief in return, comes at a time when crop exports from Russia are riding high and Ukraine is back to almost pre-war levels.

Russia has said some Western sanctions must be lifted before it begins a maritime ceasefire with Ukraine. Within hours of the US announcing the two sides had agreed to halt strikes in the Black Sea in separate deals, the Kremlin said it would only take place once sanctions on a number of Russian banks were lifted.

Ukraine and Russia, with the mediation of the United States, are negotiating a moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure. So far, this has not been formalized in any document, but the intensity of attacks on energy facilities is currently somewhat lower than in recent months—more details on who benefits most from this ceasefire – in the