U.S. and Russian officials will meet Thursday in Istanbul to address diplomatic issues affecting their embassies. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the Russian Embassy in Washington are currently understaffed due to ongoing expulsions and restrictions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted the importance of this meeting, which follows recent discussions in Riyadh aimed at collaboration on the Ukraine war and potential economic opportunities. He noted the meeting would help clarify the progress in resolving systemic problems from past restrictions. This diplomatic engagement marks a significant shift in relations between the two nations, which have historically been adversarial.
On Thursday in Istanbul, officials from the United States and Russia are set to convene to address challenges that have obstructed their diplomatic operations in one another’s nations, as stated by Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, on Wednesday.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow, along with the Russian Embassy in Washington, has been functioning with minimal staff due to years of diplomat expulsions and operational limitations. Both embassies also face regular protests.
Mr. Lavrov’s statement is indicative of a significant turn in the relations between these historically adversarial nations, especially following last week’s meetings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where their negotiation teams had the most comprehensive discussions in years. The discussions focused on cooperating to conclude the Ukraine conflict, exploring economic and investment avenues, and reinstating standard diplomatic ties.
During his visit to Doha, the capital of Qatar, Mr. Lavrov mentioned that diplomats would “meet to tackle systemic issues” stemming from reciprocal restrictions on embassy functions imposed over the years.
“Tomorrow in Istanbul, there will be a meeting regarding this issue,” Mr. Lavrov announced. “The results will provide insights into the speed and effectiveness of our advancements,” he continued, implying that this would serve as an indicator for how swiftly Washington and Moscow could progress on other matters.
The swift rapprochement initiated by President Trump with the Kremlin has raised concerns for Ukraine and American allies in Europe.