Partial Ceasefire Between Russia and Ukraine Begins With Disputes and Uncertainty:

Following three days of intense discussions, the Trump administration, Ukraine, and Russia reached an agreement on a temporary ceasefire, albeit the terms of coverage and commencement of the ceasefire remained contested by the belligerent factions suggesting that the path to achieving a full-fledged ceasefire will be protracted and fraught with complications. The dialogue concentrated on the non-complex issues of easing shipping through the Black Sea and stopping long-range strikes on energy infrastructure, which were pre-negotiated by the two parties before America meddled into the negotiations and initiated indirect diplomacy.

Even with much information withheld from the public, here’s an analysis of the partial ceasefire and its key probable outcomes in the next few weeks as the negotiations go on. The ceasefire was not extremely successful from the onset.

Immediately post the Tuesday talks there were a mix of contradicting claims. Both parties had different viewpoints on when to stop the strikes on energy facilities and blamed the opposing party for breach of the ceasefire. Russia has also linked the opening of Black Sea shipping to the US lifting sanctions which was dismissed by Kyiv. The outcomes of the negotiations have been received positively by Russian representatives. Ukrainian President Voodymyr Zelenskyy’s labeled it a good beginning but other officials from Ukraine did not agree.

"Something tells me this is more beneficial for the enemy,” Zheleznyak commented to the Interfax Ukraine news agency.

U.S Gradual Agreement On The Ukraine-Russia Conflict

On Tuesday, the U.S announced that it has provisionally reached a deal with the Ukraine and Russia to cease fighting and provide safe passage in the Black Sea for both parties in their ongoing conflict.

The terms of the deal, such as how it was to be enforced or monitored, were not disclosed. However, it appears that it was another attempt to guarantee safe shipping through the Black Sea after Russia’s withdrawal in 2022 from the agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July 2023.

Russia stated that the deal concerning the Black Sea made public on Tuesday could only be executed following the lifting of sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other related financial institutions, as well as their integration into the SWIFT payment system.

Zelenskyy claimed that Moscow was falsely portraying the putative terms behind the agreement. This was in spite of the further claim by the U.S that they intended to help restore Russian access to the international market for trading agricultural products and fertilizers.

How the Black Sea deal would benefit Ukraine remains a mystery.

The Ukrainian officials have already decided how the newest deal profit Russia. The same deal from Tuesday is unlikely to profit Ukraine because it is not clear if port attacks will be stopped.

Judging from things, Zhelezniak, a Ukrainian lawmaker, doesn’t think this change will enhance Ukraine's export efficiency. He continued to explain that Ukraine already has the capabilities to battle with their naval drones.

Since 2023, Ukraine began to take action after Russia withdrew from the earlier deal. For ships to navigate without hassles, there were a trade route created that required vessels to go close to the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria under the supervision of the Ukrainian Navy. To further contest the Russian fleet, Ukrainian forces commenced a series of sea drone assaults.

According to Zhelezniak, this new deal sadly diminishes the influence Ukraine holds in the Black Sea.

Trading accusations for suspending energy strikes.

Differences appeared sharply when the postponement of violence asked was discussed after of the long-range strikes on energy infrastructure ceasefire deal was made.

On Wednesday, Ukraine’s General Staff denied claims made by Moscow stating that Kyiv breached the terms of the ceasefire by attacking energy sites in Russia, which was set to begin on March 18.

The Kremlin then shared a list of facility types that were included in the nationwide ceasefire.

This encompassed military facilities, nuclear power plants, hydropower plant dams, oil storage facilities, electric power substations and transformers, refineries, gas and oil pipelines and stations, as well as power-generating and transmitting infrastructure.