A release delivered to the press by the Russian foreign ministry reported that the talks to end hostilities in Ukraine started at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh at 10:00 hours (Moscow time).

The Russian delegation is headed by Grigory Karasin, a chairman of the International Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee; and Sergey Beseda, advisor to the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

The US delegation includes Director of Policy Planning Staff Michael Anton, Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

The Russian delegation arrived in Riyadh on Sunday, when talks between the US and Ukrainian representatives were taking place at the same venue.

Nothing has been revealed so far about what was discussed at that meeting. However at the end of it, the Ukrainian representatives only informed that they would not hold meetings with the Russian side.

ef/iff/ro/gfa