A FRESH round of tense, Trump-backed Ukraine-Russia peace talks are to begin today in Saudi Arabia.
The US team are looking to get a ceasefire in the Black Sea to allow free flow of shipping, as well as a pause on fighting in war-torn Ukraine.
At the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, US-Russian talks on a ceasefire in Ukraine have already begun.
It comes after US officials held meetings with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia's capital on Sunday.
Despite Ukrainian and Russian representatives being at the same compound, they won't directly interact with one another, with all talks going through the US.
It's thought that Ukraine's lost children snatched by the Kremlin may also be brought up in talks.
On Sunday, Ukrainian and US delegations discussed proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure, Ukraine's defence minister confirmed.
This is part of a gargantuan diplomatic push by President Trump to desperately end three years of war.
The Republican's special envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism on the chances for ending the bloody conflict.
He told Fox News on Sunday: "I feel that [Putin] wants peace.
"I think that you're going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday some real progress, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries.
"And from that, you'll naturally gravitate into a full-on shooting ceasefire."
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President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff has slammed British Prime Minister Sit Keir Starmer's Ukraine plan as being all "posture and pose".
He accused him of adopting the "simplistic" idea that leaders "have all got to be like Winston Churchill".
Witkoff also talked of his developing "friendship" with mad Vladimir Putin.
The special envoy is leading the US delegation in ongoing peace talks with Moscow and Kyiv.
Kyiv was targeted by mad Vladimir Putin's forces overnight following a weekend of deadly strikes.
The city and its surrounding area were under air raid alerts for hours, beginning late last night, according to Ukraine air force maps.
One person was wounded and homes in the region were damaged in the latest brutal attack.
