Russia and Ukraine agreed Tuesday, March 23, to halt military strikes in the Black Sea, achieving a tentative first step towards peace in talks with the United States held in Saudi Arabia. With President Donald Trump pushing for a rapid end to the war that has killed tens of thousands of people, US negotiators met separately over three days in the Saudi capital Riyadh with delegations from Kyiv and Russia. In parallel statements, the White House said that each country “agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.”