Now Reading: Ukraine halts tanker strikes, offers Russia Black Sea truce
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Ukraine halts tanker strikes, offers Russia Black Sea truce
Ukraine has paused drone attacks on oil tankers using Russia's Novorossiysk port after a request from US Vice President JD Vance, the Financial Times reports. Separately, Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer…
The Story in Brief
Ukraine has paused drone attacks on oil tankers using Russia's Novorossiysk port after a request from US Vice President JD Vance, the Financial Times reports. Separately, Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to halt attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea, a source told Reuters, as food supply fears mount. Ukraine is awaiting a response.
The Trump administration warned Ukraine to stop targeting non-Russian vessels and Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) infrastructure. Ukraine agreed to refrain as long as vessels are not under sanctions. Russia's blockade of Odesa ports has cut Ukrainian grain exports 76% year-on-year in August. Both nations accuse each other of striking agricultural vessels.
The Indian Opinion
Both Kyiv and Moscow claim to care about global food supplies while accusing the other of sabotaging them. The truth is more complicated: Ukraine's drone strikes on tankers were destabilising oil markets and hurting Western oil majors, prompting US intervention. Russia's de facto blockade of Odesa is equally ruthless. The real test will be whether Russia formally accepts Ukraine's truce offer, or uses the pause to regroup its naval forces.
Sources (2): economictimes.indiatimes.com, economictimes.indiatimes.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
