Russia-Ukraine war to end soon? Here are key talks that may determine a possible ceasefire

The meeting will precede talks between the U.S. and Russian delegations which are scheduled for Monday.

The meetings follow a series of talks held in Saudi Arabia, first between the U.S. and Russia, and then later between the U.S. and Ukraine, when Kyiv accepted a 30-day truce proposal.

The Ukrainian delegation at Sunday's meeting will be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy earlier said this fact would allow Kyiv to act in a «very quick and very substantive» way.

However, Ukrainian officials have said they still see Sunday's meeting in Riyadh as purely technical.

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Heorhii Tykhyi, foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Friday the Ukrainian and American sides were due «to clarify the modalities, the nuances of possible different ceasefire regimes, how to monitor them, how to control them, in general, what is included in their scope».

Last Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to Trump's proposal for Russia and Ukraine to stop attacks on each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days and ordered the Russian military to cease them.

The agreement fell short, however, of a wider agreement that the U.S. had sought, and which Kyiv backed, for a blanket 30-day truce in the war.

Crucial Meeting on Monday

Trump said on Saturday that efforts to stop further escalation in the Ukraine-Russia conflict were «somewhat under control». The U.S. hopes to reach a broad ceasefire within weeks, targeting a truce agreement by April 20, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the planning.

Russian and U.S. experts meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday are due to discuss ways to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea, the Kremlin has said.

Despite all