UN chief welcomes agreement on freedom of navigation in Black Sea

The United States has reached agreement with Russia and Ukraine to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea, the White House said on Tuesday.

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the commitments reached by the United States, Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, and viewed the move “a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains,” his spokesman said.

The United States has reached agreement with Russia and Ukraine to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea, the White House said on Tuesday.

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The agreement followed separate technical-level talks between US and Ukrainian delegations, as well as between US and Russian delegations, held from March 23 to 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Reaching an agreement on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to ensure the protection of civilian vessels and port infrastructure will be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains, reflecting the importance of trade routes from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to global markets,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said in a statement.

The United Nations has been working consistently, especially following the letters the UN chief sent to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on February 7, 2024, putting forward a proposal for safe and free navigation in the Black Sea, Dujarric said.

The world body also remains closely engaged in the continued implementation of the memorandum of understanding with Russia on facilitating access of Russian food and fertilizers to global markets to address global food security, the spokesman said.

Voicing his support for all efforts towards peace, Guterres reiterated in the statement his hope that such efforts will pave the way for a durable ceasefire and contribute to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions and in full respect of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.