Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, emphasized Ukraine's readiness to create a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea based on proposals made by Egypt, India, and Turkey during a summit of world leaders at the United Nations, stating that it is now Russia's turn to respond to this issue.
Maritime Ceasefire and Food Security
Zelensky spoke on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly and prior to a Security Council meeting regarding the war in Ukraine, which has now entered its fifth year. Ukraine, concerned that Russia may seek missile and drone attacks on energy and heating facilities this winter, has called for ceasefires to cover attacks on energy and shipping infrastructure in the Black Sea.
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The President of Ukraine stated that Egypt, India, and Turkey have proposed options to revive safe navigation for commercial shipping in the Black Sea, where cargo movement is nearly at a standstill due to heavy attacks on ships and port infrastructure.
Reactions to Ceasefire Proposals
Zelensky also said, "We are waiting for Russia's response. Ukraine is ready to guarantee shipping security and food security in the Black Sea if Russia is also ready to take real steps towards de-escalation. We need to start somewhere." This comes as major wheat importers in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, who rely on the Black Sea region for wheat supplies, are facing difficulties in securing this commodity, and global wheat prices have surged significantly.
Zelensky, who was expected to speak at the UN General Assembly, met with Donald Trump, the President of the United States, on Tuesday and mentioned that they also discussed a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine concerning energy-related goals.
Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, told reporters after meeting with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, that both sides, Russia and Ukraine, expressed interest in a limited ceasefire regarding wheat and energy. The Kremlin has yet to publicly support these proposals.
Before the meeting between Lavrov and Rubio, the Kremlin stated that there is no basis for broad peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, although it emphasized its willingness for peace talks.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, told reporters, "Currently, there are no prerequisites for moving towards a peace negotiation path, although we, as the Russian side, remain open to peace talks." Zelensky announced on Tuesday that he is ready to meet in a trilateral meeting with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.
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