The U.S. said Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, even as the Kremlin said its involvement would depend on a series of preconditions, including sanctions relief.

In separate statements, the White House said Tuesday that three days of technical-level talks in Saudi Arabia with teams from Russia and Ukraine had yielded agreements ¡°to ensure safe navigation¡± in the Black Sea. The sides had also agreed to prevent the use of commercial shipping for military purposes, it said.

The U.S. also ¡°will help restore Russia¡¯s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions,¡± according to the White House.