Russian and U.S. diplomats convened in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss efforts to normalize the operation of their embassies, following years of diplomatic tensions marked by mutual expulsions and restrictions.
This meeting follows a breakthrough understanding that emerged from President Donald Trump’s conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as previous discussions between senior U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Last week’s talks in Riyadh signaled a significant shift in Washington’s foreign policy under Trump, moving away from attempts to isolate Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
The discussions resulted in a joint commitment to work toward ending the war and rebuilding diplomatic and economic ties, including restoring embassy staffing that had been severely affected by mutual expulsions and closures in recent years.
A U.S. Embassy official in Ankara confirmed that the Istanbul talks would address operational challenges faced by both diplomatic missions.
Russian parliament speaker Valentina Matvienko, speaking during a visit to Turkey, expressed confidence that the discussions would lead to the full restoration of diplomatic functions, praising the dialogue as a step towards “civilized communication” after years of strain under previous U.S. administrations.
Ties between Moscow and Washington had plummeted to Cold War-era lows following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Notably, no Ukrainian representatives were present at last week’s discussions.
The Kremlin emphasized that the goal of the talks was to restore bilateral relations and create the conditions for potential peace talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking during a visit to Qatar, framed the Istanbul meeting as an opportunity to address systemic issues created by the “unlawful activities” of the previous U.S. administration, which had imposed artificial obstacles on the work of the Russian embassy.
Lavrov suggested that the results of Thursday’s talks would determine the pace at which both sides could move forward, signaling a possible thaw in relations.
