Riyadh: Russian state news agency TASS reported that the negotiations started in Riyadh in a closed format and that Saudi security officials requested journalists at the venue to leave the premises.

According to Anadolu Agency, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov, following a phone call with US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, announced that the new round of talks would take place on March 24 in Riyadh. Ushakov stated that the meeting is primarily focused on exploring the prospects for implementing the well-known initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, specifically referring to the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The grain deal, initially signed in July 2022 in Istanbul by Trkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine, aimed to resume grain exports from Ukrainian ports that were halted due to the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022. However, on July 17, 2023, Russia withdrew from the deal, citing the non-implementation of the Russian part of the agreement. Russia sought the loosening of banking restrictions and the ability to ship its fertilizer before considering a return to the agreement.

The meeting between the Russian and US delegations follows separate talks between Kyiv and Washington's delegations in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov described these discussions as "productive," emphasizing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's goal to secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and Europe. Umerov expressed Ukraine's commitment to realizing this goal.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff shared a sense of optimism regarding the potential for peace, possibly starting with a Black Sea ceasefire. However, continued strikes from both sides have cast doubts on the progress towards such an outcome.

In remarks to local media on Monday, Serhiy Leshchenko, adviser to the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, mentioned that Kyiv's delegation remains in Riyadh for possible consultations with the US delegation after their meeting with the Russian delegation.