Top U.S. and Russian officials have finished their first talks on ending the war in Ukraine, with Moscow voicing new demands for holding sweeping talks about bringing the nearly three-year conflict to an end.

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The nearly five-hour meeting in Riyadh is part of a major diplomatic push by the United States to bring the war to an end, and it was framed by U.S. officials as exploratory discussions that could pave the way for a potential in-person meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following the end of the talks in the Saudi capital, Russian officials told reporters that the discussions were a welcome first step. Russia's chief foreign policy adviser, Yury Ushakov, who was part of the countrys delegation, said that the meeting went well.

Ushakov also said that the two sides agreed for negotiators to talk about Ukraine, and briefly discussed the conditions needed for a Putin-Trump summit.

He added that the decision to begin deeper talks with the United States about Ukraine ultimately would fall to Putin himself.

We are ready for this, but it is still difficult to talk about a specific date for the meeting of the two leaders, Ushakov said, quoted by Associated Press.

The U.S. State Department said that delegations from both countries have agreed to address irritants in their ties with the goal of normalizing diplomatic relations after years of tensions.

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Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement that Moscow and Washington also agreed to appoint high-level teams for Ukraine talks, working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides.

She added that both countries will explore future cooperation but cautioned that an exact timeline still remains unclear, noting that one phone call followed by one meeting is not sufficient to establish enduring peace, saying that the Riyadh talks are an early step in a longer process.