Russia has bombed Ukrainian cities with drones and airstrikes in the two consecutive nights following announcements that the US was to give safe passage to Russian commercial vessels in the Black Sea, and sanctions relief for Russia’s state-owned Agricultural Bank: Rosselkhozbank. The announcements were the result of the latest talks in Jeddah.
Following the night of the announcement on the “Black Sea ceasefire”, Russia attacked Kyiv with up to 56 drones. Last night, Russia launched another airstrike, this time on the city of Dnipro.
Russia never formally accepted a ceasefire on civilian infrastructure but the Trump Administration insisted several times that Russia abiding with this ceasefire. In this ceasefire agreement, Russia was supposed to halt all its attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure against Ukraine halting its attacks on the Russian oil industry. President Trump even threatened Russia with new sanctions if it didn’t accept the civilian infrastructure ceasefire.
Following the first ceasefire announcement by the White House, the Trump Administration proceeded to broker a ceasefire in the Black Sea. Under the new ceasefire, which is supposed to start when the US lifts sanctions on Rosselkhozbank, Russia is to be provided with safe passage for commercial vessels in the Black Sea, effectively allowing it to sell stolen Ukrainian grain.
President Donald Trump said he believes President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to sign a peace deal. The US is now pressuring Ukraine to sign a deal on economic cooperation with US with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying such a deal may be signed next week. The Treasury Secretary also confirmed that the US is considering to allow Russian banks to rejoin SWIFT.
The US has consistently used its position as a broker in the so called peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, to favour Russia at Ukraine’s expense.
Newsroom
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