Ukraine and Russia have agreed to stop the use of military force against ships in the Black Sea following talks with top US diplomats in Saudi Arabia.
Kyiv's defence minister Rustem Umerov said that the ex-Soviet state has agreed to "ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea".
The US also confirmed that it has made agreements with both Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe navigation across the Black Sea.
The White House added that America would "help restore Russia's access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports", as well as lower maritime insurance costs and increase its access to ports and payment systems.
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Top diplomats from the US and Ukraine held discussions in Riyadh earlier today.
Umerov added that Ukraine will deem any movement by Russian warships beyond the eastern part of the Black Sea will count as a violation of the agreement and would be treated as a "threat to the national security of Ukraine".
He said: "In this case, Ukraine will have full right to exercise right to self defence".
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov previously said that a deal in the Black Sea would be considered only if stringent conditions were involved and if Donald Trump had commanded Volodymyr Zelensky to uphold the deal.
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Meanwhile, an attempt to make an agreement over a ceasefire on energy strikes fell through as the White House only revealed that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to "develop measures for implementing" such a truce.
The deal is the product of extensive discussions over three days between White House officials and delegations from Russia and Ukraine.
It also noted that the US has remained committed in "helping achieve the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children".
All sides have been attempting to work towards a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire - which Ukraine accepted.
Discussions between US and Russia took place in Saudi Arabia yesterday
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Putin also failed to endorse the proposal after three years of war in Ukraine.
If the latest agreement is implemented successfully, it would mark the most significant progress so far towards a fully-fledged ceasefire which the US is working towards.
The White House said: "All parties agreed to develop measures for implementing the president's agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Ukraine and Russia."
Umerov said that officials were working towards a "durable and lasting peace".
