Ukraine and Russia agreed to a cease-fire in the Black Sea
Ukraine and Russia agreed to stop fighting in the Black Sea, the White House said yesterday. The pause in maritime attacks would be a significant step, but falls short of a full cease-fire.
The U.S. also said both sides agreed to hash out details about halting strikes on energy facilities. The agreements, which came after three days of negotiations in Saudi Arabia, appeared to extract no concessions from Russia.
The Kremlin said it would honor the Black Sea deal only after Western restrictions on Russian agricultural exports were removed. A White House statement said that the U.S. would “help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports,” among other measures.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said the provision was “a weakening of positions and a weakening of sanctions.” And lifting restrictions would need E.U. approval, which at the moment is unlikely.
What’s to gain: Kyiv and Moscow have an interest in stopping strikes on their respective energy facilities. In the Black Sea, Russia’s navy has been forced into a retreat by repeated Ukrainian attacks.
What’s next: It remains unclear how and when these partial cease-fires would be implemented or how firm either side’s commitment was. Ukraine’s defense minister said that more talks would have to be held as soon as possible to put the deal in place.
More on Trump
Top U.S. officials rejected responsibility for the chat leak
The Trump administration’s two top intelligence officials told a Senate hearing yesterday that no classified information about an attack on Yemen was shared in a group chat that mistakenly included a journalist.
Tulsi Gabbard, the intelligence director, and John Ratcliffe, the C.I.A. director, acknowledged the sensitivity of information about strike targets but maintained that no classified information from their departments was shared, leaving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who shared the war plan in the chat, under a microscope.
President Trump also downplayed the significance of the chat leak and defended Michael Waltz, the national security adviser, who set up the chat, calling him “a very good man.” He called the journalist who was inadvertently added to the chat and revealed the leak a “sleaze bag.” We broke down the details about the leak here.
Europe: The chat included comments that showed the administration’s dislike of Europeans. Hegseth complained of “European freeloading,” calling it “PATHETIC.” Trump said yesterday that he agreed with Hegseth.
Signal: The messaging app was used to host the military chat. How secure is it?
A Palestinian Oscar winner said he was beaten by settlers
The Israeli authorities yesterday released Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian director of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” who was detained overnight. Ballal was arrested after what he and other witnesses said was an attack by masked Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Singapore is one of the most expensive places to drive on Earth. So when it costs up to $84,000 for the right to even own a car, the biggest status symbol is anything on four wheels.
“It’s the same as being dressed in formal wear with leather shoes, or wearing a Rolex,” said one car owner, who had paid about $24,000 for a used 2010 Kia Forte.
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‘Adolescence’ tackles teens and their smartphones
The hit series “Adolescence,” about a 13-year-old British boy suspected of killing a girl from his school, has been Netflix’s most-watched show in dozens of countries in recent weeks. The show has reignited debate about restricting children’s access to smartphones to stop them from viewing harmful content.
In Britain, where officials have warned of online harm gangs, lawmakers have used “Adolescence” to argue that the country should crack down on social media use among children.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/briefing/black-sea-deal-signal-leak-west-bank-director.html
