U.S. and Russian delegations hold Closed-Door talks in Riyadh

Negotiations between U.S. and Russian delegations are taking place in Riyadh under a closed format, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported on Monday.

The talks, which began earlier in the day, are being held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, where Saudi security personnel have tightly controlled access.

The Russian delegation, which arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, includes Grigory Karasin, head of the Russian upper house’s foreign affairs committee, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

Security officers from Saudi Arabia’s state security service instructed journalists and other attendees to leave the hotel grounds, prohibiting any photo or video recording.

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Security personnel were stationed across the hotel, and entry into the building was strictly restricted.

The primary focus of the negotiations is expected to be the potential resumption of initiatives aimed at ensuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, a topic that was discussed in the recent phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President .