The talks, which followed US talks with Ukraine yesterday, come as US President Donald Trump intensifies his drive to end the three-year-old conflict after he last week spoke to both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A source briefed on the planning for the talks said 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.

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

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.