Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asked the US for ‘clear guarantees’ regarding a safe passage agreement and ceasefire in the Black Sea.

Speaking to Russian media, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow is open to reviving an agreement to ensure safe passage in the Black Sea but also emphasized the need to protect Russia’s interests. “We are in favor of finding ways to prevent damage to energy infrastructure, which is not in our interest. As President Putin has also stated, we support the restart of the ‘Black Sea Initiative’ in a more acceptable manner for everyone. This issue was also a priority in the talks in Riyadh,” he said.

Demand for Guarantees from the US

The US administration, following three days of talks in Saudi Arabia attended by delegations from Ukraine and Russia, announced on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached to ensure safe navigational passage in the Black Sea. American experts met separately with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in Riyadh, and the White House issued separate joint statements regarding the discussions with Ukraine and Russia. The statements noted that the parties agreed to “ensure safe navigational passage in the Black Sea, eliminate the use of force, and prevent commercial ships from being used for military purposes.” However, Lavrov emphasized that Moscow expects clear guarantees, stating, “Taking into account the bitter experiences in agreements with Kiev, real guarantees can only be provided if Washington instructs (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky and his team to definitely comply. It seems to me that our American partners have received this message.”

Russia Requests a More Comprehensive Agreement

The details of the potential agreement have not yet been disclosed, but it is believed that this development indicates a revival of the agreement secured in 2022 under UN and Turkey’s mediation, guaranteeing safe passage through Ukrainian Black Sea ports. The said agreement had been suspended by Russia the following year. Moscow argued that the agreement did not ensure the security of its exports in the Black Sea.