Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said that Russia is trying to insert additional conditions into a Black Sea maritime security deal negotiated by the US between Moscow and Kyiv in Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
The US announced separate agreements Tuesday with Russia and Ukraine to “ensure safe navigation” in the Black Sea and a halt to strikes on each other’s energy facilities for 30 days following talks in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Moscow and Kyiv later confirmed the agreements, though the Kremlin said they would take effect as soon as certain restrictions and sanctions on Russia are lifted.
“Regarding the Black Sea, the situation is more complicated. Moscow is trying to insert some additional conditions into the agreement, which does not contain preconditions. Therefore, we expect the American side to ensure unconditional silence at sea,” Zelenskyy said during a joint news conference in Paris following talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
He further said that he and Macron discussed increasing the number of Mirage 2000 fighter jets in Ukraine, stating that the French-manufactured aircraft has become a part of the country’s air defense.
Zelenskyy also thanked Macron for the additional €2 billion in military aid to Kyiv, which the French president announced at the joint news conference.
The Ukrainian president arrived in Paris as the French capital is set to host a summit of the “coalition of the willing,” which Macron said will “finalize our work on short-term support for the Ukrainian army.”
The initiative, led by London and Paris, was announced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier this month, which he said aims to “defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee peace.”