Moscow has agreed to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, provided that Western sanctions are lifted against companies involved in food and fertilizer exports, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. Russia and the United States have also agreed to develop measures to halt strikes on Russian and Ukrainian energy facilities for a period of 30 days that began on March 18,

The early defiance of Ukrainian forces in Snake Island set the scene for their dominance over the Black Sea, leaving little doubt why Putin was so keen for a ceasefire there, World Affairs Editor Sam