Russian and U.S. diplomats are scheduled to convene in Istanbul on Thursday to deliberate over the operations of their embassies located in Moscow and Washington. This development was announced by Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday.
This meeting comes on the heels of discussions between Russia and the United States in Saudi Arabia the previous week, signifying a notable shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump. The recent deliberations represent a move away from the previous American-led efforts to isolate Russia in response to its aggressive actions in Ukraine.
During these negotiations, both nations demonstrated a willingness to start mending their strained diplomatic relations and economic interactions. Restoring embassy staffing emerged as a key point of focus, following years of mutual expulsion of diplomats and implementation of various other restrictions.
Before President Trump’s second administration, the relationship between the U.S. and Russia had reached a nadir reminiscent of Cold War tensions. This decline followed Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the broader invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which the international community widely condemned.
Notably absent in the recent Saudi Arabia talks were Ukrainian officials. According to the Kremlin, the discussions were centered on re-establishing diplomatic ties with the U.S., a measure that Moscow argues is a crucial step towards eventual peace negotiations.
Lavrov, addressing the press in Qatar, revealed that high-level diplomatic experts would meet in Istanbul. The discussions aim to resolve systemic issues that arose from what Lavrov described as unlawful actions by the previous U.S. administration, which created hurdles for the Russian embassy. In return, Russia had reciprocated with similar obstacles for the American embassy in Moscow.
Lavrov further mentioned that the results of the Istanbul meeting would indicate the pace and efficiency of progress in this diplomatic endeavor.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli confirmed the forthcoming meeting, stating it would occur at a technical level between the Russian and U.S. delegations in Istanbul. However, specifics regarding the agenda were not disclosed. Keceli also reaffirmed Turkey’s willingness to support peace initiatives, offering to host future discussions if needed.
