US and Russian representatives have begun talks in the Saudi capital Riyadh as part of Washington's efforts to broker a limited ceasefire after more than three years of hostilities in Ukraine, the agencies cited by BTA reported.
The talks, which opened at 10 a.m. local time (09:00 Bulgarian time), will be held behind closed doors at the "Ritz Carlton" hotel, the Russian state news agency TASS reported.
The Moscow delegation is headed by career diplomat Grigory Karasin and Sergei Baseda – a senior intelligence official and close aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US delegation in Saudi Arabia also includes US envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg and White House national security adviser Mike Walz.
The US mediators will also hold separate talks with Ukrainian representatives, DPA reports.
Kellogg described the indirect talks between the two warring parties as "diplomatic shuttles", in which US representatives will negotiate with both sides during meetings in "separate rooms".
The initial talks between the Ukrainian and US delegations in Saudi Arabia yesterday were described by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov as "constructive and informative".
A key focus of the talks is ensuring a halt to airstrikes on energy facilities. Both Russia and Ukraine have agreed in principle to this partial ceasefire, but it has not yet been implemented.
The United States is urging both sides to extend the ceasefire against shipping lanes in the Black Sea, the agencies note.