Moscow and Washington officials say that easing the operations of diplomatic missions was the main focus of discussions.
Both Russia and the US have stated that the primary topic during Thursday’s discussions between Russian and American delegations in Istanbul, Türkiye, was the restoration of normal functioning for their respective diplomatic missions. The meeting, held behind closed doors, lasted over five hours.
The Russian delegation was headed by Aleksandr Darchiev, Moscow’s new ambassador to Washington, while the US delegation was led by Sonata Coulter, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.
According to TASS, Darchiev told reporters that an “understanding has been reached [to pursue] further measures aimed at easing the movement of diplomats in the host country as well as related visa procedures.”
Regarding Russian diplomatic properties previously seized by the US, Moscow and Washington agreed to develop a plan. Darchiev urged his American counterparts to aim for a broad restoration of bilateral relations, including the resumption of direct flights between the two nations.
According to the statement, Moscow and Washington have agreed to further develop the proposals presented in Istanbul on Thursday, aiming to reach mutually agreeable solutions by the time of their next meeting.
The Foreign Ministry in Moscow later announced that the Russian and US diplomats exchanged notes confirming their shared commitment to “facilitating uninterrupted banking and financial services for Russian and American diplomatic missions,” a sentiment echoed by the US.
The US agreed to address Moscow’s financial contributions to the United Nations and other international organizations, while Washington’s representatives raised the issue of restrictions preventing the US embassy in Moscow from hiring local personnel.
The State Department indicated that the two sides “discussed holding a follow-up meeting on these issues in the near term, as needed, with the date, location, and representation to be determined.”
The previous Russia-US consultations in Istanbul occurred on February 27.
Since taking office in January, US President Donald Trump has actively engaged in diplomacy with Russia, undertaking a concerted diplomatic effort to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Consequently, Washington and Moscow have been gradually re-establishing bilateral connections, which had been essentially frozen under the leadership of former US President Joe Biden.
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