The Black Sea grain deal is at a crossroads. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes the US will stay strong. He wants them to reject Russia’s demand to lift sanctions in exchange for a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy spoke to reporters in Paris. He said he’s grateful for US support, but some people are listening to Russia’s side. “We can’t agree with those stories,” he added.
The White House said Russian and Ukrainian representatives agreed to a ceasefire. But Russia later announced conditions, including lifting Western sanctions on their agricultural trade institutions and restoring access to the international banking system.
The EU said they won’t lift sanctions until Russia withdraws troops from Ukrainian territory. Zelenskyy was asked if the US would resist Russian pressure. He replied, “I hope so. We’ll have to wait and see.”
When asked about his relationship with US President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy said, “I don’t know. It’s hard for me to say.”
A US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, rejected the EU’s proposal to create a “coalition of the willing” to support Ukraine. Zelenskyy said he won’t rush to judgment, adding that Witkoff lacks experience in this area. “As far as I know, he’s good at real estate, but this is different.”