Ukraine has put forth an offer to Russia, suggesting both sides cease attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea, as reported by a source familiar with the situation.
The proposal for a halt in hostilities was transmitted by Kyiv through an intermediary, and Ukraine is currently waiting for a response, according to the same source.
Both Russia and Ukraine, significant players in the global agricultural market, have accused each other of escalating attacks against vessels involved in agricultural exports.
This situation has forced Kyiv to seek alternative transport routes, as many shipowners are avoiding ports in the Odesa region due to fears stemming from Russian attacks on dozens of foreign-flagged vessels and port infrastructure.
Russia Claims No Formal Proposal Received
Russia has yet to comment on the matter. Prior to this development, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated that Moscow had not received any formal ceasefire proposals concerning the Black Sea.
“Recently, we have heard many calls for various types of moratoriums and ceasefires. These ideas are being presented through various channels, but we have not received any formal proposal,” he stated, as quoted by the Russian news agency TASS.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country had presented proposals for a plan to conclude the conflict initiated by Russia in February 2022 to American negotiators. However, Reuters notes that there have been no signs of resumed peace talks thus far.
Ukraine has repeatedly called for a ceasefire, while Russia claims it desires a resolution to the conflict but insists that Ukraine must fully relinquish control over four regions claimed by Moscow, including areas not currently under Russian control.
Turkey Offers Moratorium Proposal
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that both Russia and Ukraine have been presented with a proposal to declare a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea.
Since July, Ukraine has effectively closed the route for Russian maritime commercial transport. Its drones have targeted nearly 220 vessels in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, including oil tankers, grain transport ships, and passenger ferries.
This campaign has compelled Russia to suspend maritime transport through a channel linking the Caspian Sea to the Sea of Azov via a Russian river network. This route passes through the Kerch Strait between occupied Crimea and Russia and leads to the Bosporus Strait in Turkey, as explained by The Guardian.
During the same period, Russia has intensified its attacks on ports in southern Ukraine, severely impacting the country’s agricultural sector. Approximately 90% of Ukraine’s grain and sunflower shipments come from Odesa and the nearby ports of Chernomorsk and Pivdenne.
Russia’s de facto blockade of Ukrainian ports in the Odesa region has led to a decrease in Ukrainian grain exports, with the agricultural sector warning of widespread economic consequences if this situation continues.
