Russia demands lifting of sanctions in exchange for ceasefire – US secretary of state

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Russia is willing to agree to a ceasefire in the Black Sea but in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

Source: Rubio at a joint press conference with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness

Details: Rubio said Moscow had set conditions regarding the cessation of strikes on energy infrastructure and hostilities in the Black Sea during talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. One of the demands is the lifting of sanctions.

Quote: "Some of those conditions include sanctions that are not ours; they belong to the European Union. So we're going to be gathering and sort of when our folks get back, sitting down, going through the proposals, getting their impressions of the conversations so we can more fully understand what the Russian position is or what their ask is in exchange."

Details: Rubio also noted that the very fact a ceasefire was being discussed was a positive signal.

"I think it's a good thing that we have both the Ukrainians and the Russians talking about ceasefires, be they energy or be they potentially in the Black Sea," he emphasised.

Background: 

• Russia has put forward a list of demands as conditions for agreeing to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, which was the subject of a meeting between representatives of Russia, the United States and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on 23-25 March.
• US President Donald Trump stated that the American side would consider Russia's demands for agreeing to a ceasefire in the Black Sea.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that technical teams had not yet determined a mechanism for monitoring Russia's compliance with agreements prohibiting strikes on energy infrastructure. Because of this, it is currently impossible to accurately assess adherence to these agreements.

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