US delegation aims for Black Sea ceasefire in Ukraine, Russia talks

A delegation from the United States will seek progress toward a Black Sea ceasefire and a broader cessation of violence in the Ukrainian war when it meets for talks with Russian officials on Monday.

The technical talks come as US President Donald Trump doubles his efforts to end Russia's three-year-old assault against Ukraine.

Trump, last week, spoke with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It was gathered that the US side was being led by Andrew Peek, a senior director at the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a senior State Department official.

They reportedly met the Ukrainians on Sunday night and planned to sit on a roundtable with the Russians on Monday.

According to the White House, the aim of the talks is to reach a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, allowing the free flow of shipping.

White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said on Sunday that the US, Russian and Ukrainian delegations were assembled in the same facility in Riyadh.

Waltz added that beyond a Black Sea ceasefire, the teams will discuss the line of control between the two countries, which he described as verification measures, peacekeeping, freezing the lines where they are.

The National Security Adviser said confidence-building measures are being discussed, including the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

Russia will be represented by Grigory Karasin, a former diplomat who is now chair of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of the Federal Security Service.

Ukraine's defence minister, Rustem Umerov, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, said on Facebook that the US-Ukraine talks included proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure.