The United States and Russia have agreed to explore options on securing travel waivers for Taliban negotiators to participate in talks to end the war in Afghanistan.

U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the peace talks with the Taliban, discussed the issue of lifting the travel ban for Taliban leaders with his Russian counterpart Zamir Kabulov in Ankara.

Lifting the travel ban imposed over Taliban leaders by the United Nations has been one of the key demands of the hardline Islamic group that started negotiations with U.S. officials last year to end the 17-year-old war.

Meanwhile,the Afghan Taliban said it would resume negotiations on Monday with the United States in Qatar, insisting the meeting “will prove positive” despite propaganda against the peace process.