7 hours agoUS, Russia negotiate diplomatic missions in Istanbul
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)Delegations from the United States and Russia met on April 10th in Istanbul to discuss steps towards restoring the full operation of their embassies, following the significant reduction of diplomatic staff following the launch of Ukraine's Russian invasion in 2022. This is the second meeting of its kind and [...]
This is the second meeting of this kind and comes in the wake of US President Donald Trump's efforts to improve relations with Moscow and efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
According to the US State Department, talks held in Istanbul have marked progress towards reaching an agreement that will enable easier access to banking services for diplomats of both countries, despite US sanctions on Russia, broadcast Periscope.
One of the topics discussed has also been the restrictions imposed by Moscow in 2021, which prohibits the employment of Russian citizens at the American Embassy in Moscow, issues Washington has expressed as constant concern.
Russian Ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiev said the talks were held “in a positive atmosphere”. He announced that the parties have agreed to ease the rules of movement of diplomats and the visa issue process, as well as have discussed the possibility of restarting direct flights between Moscow and Washington.
Darchiev also stressed that one of Russia's top priorities is the return of diplomatic real estate, which, according to him, has been confiscated by American authorities and belongs to the Russian Federation.
Although diplomatic dialogue has intensified following Trump's return to the White House in January, American officials have stressed that these talks do not include political or security issues. “Ukraine is not in the agenda”, said UN spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, clarifying that the focus remains exclusively on US-Russia bilateral relations.
The summit in Istanbul is seen as a careful step towards normalising diplomatic ties between the two world powers, at a time when global tensions continue, and their embassies operate with limited capacities due to the mutual expulsions of diplomats in recent years.
