Russia and Ukraine had been negotiating for two months with Turkey on an agreement for maritime security in the Black Sea, and they reached a draft that was supposed to be announced by Ankara, but Kyiv suddenly withdrew, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The negotiations took place with Turkey’s mediation, at the request of the United Nations, according to the sources who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity because the issue is sensitive. In March, an agreement was reached on the security of commercial ships in the Black Sea, and although Ukraine did not want to sign it officially, it gave its consent to have it announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 30, before the crucial local elections.
“At the last minute, Ukraine suddenly withdrew, and the agreement collapsed,” one of the sources said. Three other individuals confirmed this version of events. Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey declined to comment. It is not currently clear why Ukraine withdrew. Reuters’ sources said they did not know what led to this decision.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that without new U.S. military aid, Ukraine would not be able to defend the “corridor” of the Black Sea passing near Romania and Bulgaria.
When asked for comment, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, “We continue to hope that freedom of navigation in the Black Sea will prevail.”
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In the agreement’s text, a copy of which Reuters obtained, it was stated that Turkey had reached agreements with Ukraine and Russia to ensure the free and safe passage of commercial vessels in the Black Sea, based on the Montreux Convention regarding the status of the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits. Moscow and Kyiv would provide security guarantees to commercial ships and undertake not to interfere with them, nor seize or inspect them, provided they were sailing with empty cargo or had declared non-military cargo. The guarantees do not apply to warships and commercial vessels carrying military cargo, with some exceptions.
Turkey and the UN had mediated for the Black Sea Wheat Initiative, an agreement reached in July 2022 that allowed the safe export of nearly 33 million metric tons of wheat from Ukraine. Russia withdrew from the agreement in July 2023, protesting the obstacles facing its own exports of food and fertilizers.
