The facilitation of diplomatic missions’ operations topped the agenda, according to Moscow and Washington officials
The Russian and US delegations at Thursday’s talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, mainly focused on the restoration of normal operations of their respective diplomatic missions, both sides have revealed. The closed-door talks lasted for more than five hours.
The Russian team was led by Moscow’s newly appointed ambassador to Washington, Aleksandr Darchiev, while US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter headed the US delegation.
Darchiev told reporters after the meeting that an “understanding has been reached [to pursue] further measures aimed at easing the movement of diplomats in the host country as well as related visa procedures,” as quoted by TASS.
With respect to Russian diplomatic properties previously seized by the US, Moscow and Washington agreed to work out a road map. Darchiev called on his American colleagues to aim big when it comes to restoring bilateral ties, including the resumption of direct flights between the two countries.
According to the statement, Moscow and Washington agreed to thrash out the proposals put forward in Istanbul on Thursday so that mutually acceptable solutions can be found by the next meeting.
The Foreign Ministry in Moscow later announced that the Russian and US diplomats exchanged notes cementing their bilateral commitment to “facilitating uninterrupted banking and financial services for Russian and American diplomatic missions,” a position echoed by the US side.
The US agreed to address Moscow’s financial contributions to the United Nations and other international organizations while Washington’s representatives also brought up the issue of policies prohibiting the US embassy in Moscow from hiring local staff.
The State Department noted that the two sides had “discussed holding a follow-up meeting on these issues in the near term, as needed, with the date, location, and representation to be determined.”
The last Russia-US consultations in Istanbul took place on February 27.
Since assuming office in January, US President Donald Trump has engaged in active diplomacy with Russia, mounting a concerted diplomatic effort to end the Ukraine conflict. As a result, Washington and Moscow have gradually moved to restore bilateral contacts, which were effectively frozen under the administration of former US President Joe Biden.
