The U.S. and Russia agreed on Tuesday to restore the normal functioning of each other's diplomatic missions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after talks between senior U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.

While U.S. officials characterized the talks as the first step in a peace deal, the Russians are portraying them as a way to end Moscow’s isolation.

It the first time U.S. and Russian officials have met since Moscow invaded Ukraine nearly three years ago. Ukraine was excluded from the talks.