In Istanbul, Russian and American diplomats convened on Thursday to address the restoration of their respective embassies’ operations after a history of expulsions of diplomats by both nations. This move followed dialogue between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, alongside discussions among senior diplomats from both sides in Saudi Arabia.
During a session with the Federal Security Service, Putin praised the Trump administration for its “pragmatism and realistic view,” setting it apart from its predecessors, which he criticized for following “stereotypes and messianic ideological clichés.” He expressed optimism in the opening engagements with the new U.S. administration, acknowledging a shared willingness to resolve numerous strategic global challenges.
Putin indicated that some Western elites remain intent on sustaining global instability and might attempt to sabotage the diplomatic dialogue. He emphasized the need for Russian diplomats and security forces to prevent such disruptions.
In Riyadh, both nations agreed to work towards resolving the conflict in Ukraine and enhancing diplomatic and economic relations. This includes revitalizing embassy staffing impacted by the reciprocal expulsion of diplomats, closure of offices, and additional constraints in recent times.
An official from the U.S. Embassy in Ankara confirmed that the discussions in Istanbul addressed issues concerning embassy operations. A U.S. State Department spokesperson later remarked that the United States highlighted concerns about access to banking and contracted services and stressed the importance of reliable staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Through constructive dialogue, the parties pinpointed concrete initial steps to stabilize bilateral mission operations.
While Moscow did not immediately comment following the six-hour negotiations, Russian news outlets reported on the details. In Turkey, Valentina Matvienko, the speaker of Russia’s parliament’s upper house, expressed optimism that these discussions would facilitate the comprehensive re-establishment of diplomatic missions.
Matvienko suggested that agreements would lead to a return to “civilized communication” disrupted by previous government actions.
Diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington reached new lows since the Cold War after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It was noted that no Ukrainian officials were present at last week’s talks, as the Kremlin maintained that the focus was on re-establishing a dialogue with the United States, which could eventually lead to peace negotiations.
In Doha, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented that the objective of the Istanbul talks was to resolve “systemic problems” arising from the actions of the previous U.S. administration, which had created obstacles for Russian diplomatic work. Lavrov expressed hope that the meeting’s outcomes would clarify the pace and efficacy of future diplomatic efforts.