Over the past week, the United States has held separate negotiations with Russia and Ukraine in an attempt to stop fighting in the Black Sea, a crucial trade route for food exports, as part of the broader goal of ending the war between the two countries.

On Tuesday, the White House reported that both countries had agreed to a ceasefire and allow navigation in the region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the ceasefire would take immediate effect. However, the Kremlin said the ceasefire would only take effect once certain conditions are met, including the partial lifting of sanctions pertaining to Russian companies and banks involved in international food trade.

A similar truce was in place between 2022 and 2023 but was later broken by Russia. That deal, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, allowed for the uninterrupted export of Ukrainian grain. Russian President Vladimir Putin withdrew from the........

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