Delegations from the United States and Russia started talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on Monday. The main topic is believed to be a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.



Russia's state-run Tass news agency reported the start of the working-level meeting in Riyadh.



Russian officials reportedly include Grigory Karasin, a former diplomat and now an upper house member, as well as Sergey Beseda, an adviser to the head of the Federal Security Service.



Western media outlets say the US delegation includes Michael Anton, the policy planning director at the State Department, and a senior official at the White House National Security Council.



Last Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump agreed during their phone talks that the two countries will hold negotiations on a halt to the fighting in the Black Sea.



Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Sunday that he thinks there will be "some real progress" over a Black Sea ceasefire, and that will "naturally gravitate" into "a full-on shooting ceasefire."



Separately, delegations from the US and Ukraine held talks in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Ukraine's defense minister Rustem Umerov said on social media that they had productive discussions on key issues, including energy. His remark suggests they spoke about stopping attacks targeting energy-related facilities.