Russia and Ukraine were on the verge of reaching an agreement on shipping in the Black Sea
Russia and Ukraine engaged in two months of negotiations with Türkiye on an agreement to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea and reached an agreement on a text that Ankara was scheduled to announce, but Kiev suddenly withdrew.
Private sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of such talks, said that the negotiations were mediated by Türkiye after calls from the United Nations.
An agreement was reached in March to ensure the safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea, and although Ukraine didn’t want to formally sign it, Kiev gave its approval to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to announce it on March 30, the day before crucial municipal elections, according to the agreement.
“At the last minute, Ukraine suddenly withdrew and the agreement was cancelled,” one of the sources said.
Meanwhile, it’s not yet clear why Ukraine withdrew, as the sources who spoke to Reuters said they didn’t know what prompted Kiev to make the decision.
