DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s crown prince wasn’t in the room for the first high-level talks between Russia and the United States over Moscow’s war on Ukraine on Tuesday, but Mohammed bin Salman still won the day for hosting the gathering that could be a game-changer in the bloody conflict.

Talks between the United States and Russia over the war in Ukraine are set to begin Tuesday, multiple sources have told CNN.

Russia's foreign minister and his delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for scheduled negotiations with the United States to end the war in Ukraine.