Istanbul hosts US-Russia diplomatic reset talks

Delegations from the United States and Russia convened in Istanbul on Thursday for the second round of technical-level discussions aimed at restoring the smooth operation of their respective diplomatic missions, which have faced major disruptions in recent years.

A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the talks are being led by Alexander Darchiev, Russia’s newly appointed Ambassador to the United States, and Sonata Coulter, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. The primary objective of the discussions is to resolve ongoing administrative and staffing issues plaguing both countries’ embassies and consulates.

Tensions between Washington and Moscow have led to repeated rounds of reciprocal expulsions of diplomats over the past decade, severely limiting the capacity of diplomatic staff and complicating consular services for citizens in both countries. In recent years, embassies in Moscow and Washington have operated with skeleton crews, and visa and passport services have slowed dramatically, sparking complaints from businesses, students, and families with transnational ties.

The United States has made clear that the scope of the Istanbul meetings is limited strictly to these technical matters. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce emphasized that broader political issues, including the war in Ukraine, are *not* part of the current agenda.

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“Ukraine is not, absolutely not on the agenda,” Bruce stated. “These talks are solely focused on our embassy operations—not on normalizing the bilateral relationship overall, which, as we have consistently stated, can only happen once there is peace between Russia and Ukraine.”

The first round of these technical discussions took place on February 27, also in Istanbul, which has served as a neutral venue for U.S.-Russia contacts throughout the recent period of high tensions.

Despite the limited scope, diplomatic analysts say the talks mark a rare point of communication between the two governments, which have seen their relations spiral to Cold War-era lows following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since then, nearly all avenues of bilateral engagement have been either paused or collapsed, apart from channels concerning arms control and basic diplomatic operations.

No immediate breakthroughs were announced following Thursday’s session, but both sides reportedly agreed to continue the dialogue, suggesting a shared interest in ensuring their embassies can at least perform core functions amid an otherwise deeply strained relationship.

As of now, neither Washington nor Moscow has provided a timeline for resolving the operational issues, but officials from both sides hinted that further rounds of talks may be held later this year.

Crediblenewsng.com