‘Will ask Trump for weapons if Russia violates’: Zelensky's stark warning as US-brokered Black Sea ceasefire begins

Ukraine has warned that any movement of Russian warships beyond the eastern Black Sea would breach a US-brokered agreement aimed at preventing the "use of force" in the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that the truce, covering both the Black Sea and energy infrastructure, had come into effect immediately. He also said that if Russia failed to uphold the agreements, he would turn to Donald Trump for additional sanctions and military support.

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"If the Russians violate this, then I have a direct question for President Trump. If they violate, here is the evidence – we ask for sanctions, we ask for weapons, etc.," Zelenskyy said during a press conference in Kyiv.

US Confirms Separate Agreements With Kyiv and Moscow

Earlier, the United States confirmed that it had reached separate agreements with Ukraine and Russia to safeguard navigation in the Black Sea and to ban strikes on energy facilities in both nations.

Ukraine will have the full right to exercise the right to self-defence

In a statement issued on behalf of Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Ukraine reinforced its stance, declaring that “the movement of Russian military vessels beyond the Eastern Black Sea will be considered a violation of the spirit of this agreement.”

The statement further warned that such actions would also be seen as a "violation of the obligations to ensure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and a threat to the national security of Ukraine."

"In such case, Ukraine will have the full right to exercise the right to self-defence," it added.

Ukraine’s statement also extended beyond the US announcement regarding energy infrastructure, saying that "all parties agreed to implement the agreements … on a complete ban on attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and Russia."

For the agreements to be effectively enforced, Ukraine stressed the need for further technical discussions. "For the effective implementation of the agreements, it is important to hold additional technical consultations as soon as possible to agree on all the details and technical aspects of the implementation, monitoring, and control of the agreements," the statement read.

(With inputs from agencies)