"The United States has agreed separately with Russia and Ukraine to end fighting in the Black Sea and to “develop measures” to ban military strikes on energy facilities, the White House says.

A fresh round of talks between U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia started on Tuesday morning, but an announced joint statement from Washington and Moscow failed to materialise. Nevertheless, progress appears to be at hand with the United States announcing agreements had been struck with Ukraine, and with Russia, to enact what has been called a ceasefire at sea to protect shipping in the Black Sea.

In language that appears to exclude the possibility that Ukraine and Russia have yet to contract any agreement, but will be independently working towards the same goal through Washington, the White House said in two separate statements that the countries had agreed to “ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.”

No dates or deadlines were published, and, like the discussion of all parties having agreed to the precepts of a ceasefire at last week’s talks, when exactly this period of “safe navigation” will begin is unclear."