MOSCOW — In recent consultations between Russia and the United States, held in Istanbul, Moscow proposed the reestablishment of direct air connections between the two nations, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced Friday. The diplomatic meeting focused on resuming normal operations at their respective embassies, which have faced disruptions through numerous expulsions of diplomats over past years.
Describing the discussions as “substantive and businesslike,” the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that both sides managed to agree on “joint steps to ensure unimpeded financing” for their diplomatic missions. They also discussed creating conditions conducive for diplomats to effectively perform their duties. Notably, the ministry mentioned offering the U.S. the possibility of reinstating direct air travel, though no specific timeline or further details were provided, and there was no immediate response from the U.S. about this proposal.
The cessation of air links was part of a wider set of sanctions by the U.S. and other Western countries following Russia’s deployment of troops to Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The diplomatic dialogues in Istanbul followed prior recognitions reached between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and included talks among senior diplomats from both countries in Saudi Arabia earlier.
The Riyadh discussions resulted in both nations agreeing to work on ending the conflict in Ukraine, as well as improving both diplomatic and economic relations. Key to this effort is the restoration of embassy staffing levels, which have suffered due to mutual diplomat expulsions, office closures, and various restrictions in recent years.
The U.S. State Department commented that during the Istanbul talks, the American representatives expressed concerns over issues like banking access and contracted services. They also stressed the importance of maintaining stable staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Through constructive dialogue, both sides were able to identify initial, concrete steps to stabilize their respective diplomatic missions, as indicated in a statement.
Leading the discussions for the U.S. was Sonata Coulter, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Russia and Central Europe, while Alexander Darchiyev, heading the North America department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, spearheaded Russia’s negotiating team. Both parties agreed to hold another meeting soon to continue addressing these matters, according to the U.S. State Department.
Russian President Putin lauded the Trump administration’s “pragmatism and realistic view,” contrasting it with what he referred to as the “stereotypes and messianic ideological clichés” of previous administrations. “The first interactions with the new U.S. administration inspire optimism,” Putin remarked, highlighting a mutual readiness to work on restoring bilateral relations and tackling significant strategic issues in the global framework.
