Istanbul, 28 February — Russian and US diplomats met in Turkiye on Thursday to discuss long-standing disputes over the functioning of their embassies in Washington and Moscow, Reuters reported.
The talks, held at the US consul general’s residence in Istanbul, are viewed as an initial test of whether the two sides can reset broader relations and work toward ending the war in Ukraine.
The meeting follows a February 12 phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as a high-level diplomatic session in Saudi Arabia six days later.
Trump, who took office last month, has swiftly moved to engage with Moscow, pledging to fulfill his promise of a quick ceasefire in Ukraine—a sharp departure from his predecessor Joe Biden’s policies, which included military aid to Kyiv and sanctions on Russia.
However, Putin this week downplayed expectations of an immediate deal, stressing the need to rebuild trust before any major agreements.
“The outcome of this meeting will show how quickly and effectively we can move,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated.
He acknowledged that Russia had imposed restrictions on US diplomats in Moscow in retaliation for Washington’s treatment of Russian personnel.
Despite growing speculation, the US State Department clarified that Thursday’s talks were strictly focused on diplomatic matters, including staffing, visas, and banking issues. “To be clear, there are no political or security issues on the agenda.
Ukraine is not on the agenda,” a spokesperson said. “The constructiveness of these talks will become apparent very quickly; either issues will get resolved or they won’t.”
The Russian delegation, led by Alexander Darchiyev—head of the foreign ministry’s North America department and a likely candidate for Russia’s next ambassador to the US—arrived in a black Mercedes van for the discussions, which Russian state TV reported could last five to six hours.
The US team is led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter.
While the immediate focus remains on resolving diplomatic tensions, the talks could lay the groundwork for deeper cooperation in areas such as nuclear disarmament and economic partnerships.
Putin suggested this week that Moscow would welcome US participation in joint rare earth mining projects, including in Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine.
Concerns are growing in Ukraine and among its European allies that Trump’s rapid rapprochement with Moscow could sideline them in any potential peace deal.
However, the US president has maintained that his priority is ending the conflict through an early ceasefire.
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