Paris: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that Russia is attempting to introduce additional conditions into a Black Sea maritime security agreement that was recently negotiated by the United States between Moscow and Kyiv. The negotiations took place in Saudi Arabia earlier this week.

According to Anadolu Agency, the United States announced separate agreements on Tuesday with both Russia and Ukraine to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and to halt strikes on each other's energy facilities for a period of 30 days. These agreements were confirmed by both Moscow and Kyiv, although the Kremlin stated that the measures would only be implemented once specific restrictions and sanctions on Russia are lifted.

Zelenskyy, speaking at a joint news conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, expressed concerns about the complexity of the Black Sea situation. He noted that Moscow is trying to include additional conditions in the agreement, which he stressed does not originally contain any preconditions. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for the American side to guarantee unconditional peace in the region.

In addition to discussing the Black Sea deal, Zelenskyy and Macron talked about increasing the number of Mirage 2000 fighter jets in Ukraine, with Zelenskyy noting the importance of the French-manufactured aircraft to the country's air defense. He also expressed gratitude to Macron for France's commitment of an additional £2 billion in military aid to Kyiv, as announced at the press conference.

Zelenskyy's visit to Paris coincides with the upcoming summit of the 'coalition of the willing' in the French capital. Macron mentioned that the summit would aim to finalize efforts on short-term support for the Ukrainian army. This initiative, led by London and Paris, was introduced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier this month to defend a deal in Ukraine and ensure peace.