Istanbul hosts new US-Russia talks to improve relations

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: "Russia and the United States will hold consultations in Turkey on Thursday on the normalization of the work of embassies." This was reported by Reuters.

 

The meeting between Washington and Moscow officials in Istanbul comes at a time when senior Russian and American officials, including foreign ministers, have met several times in recent months.

 

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, today's talks will be led by the new Russian ambassador to Washington, Alexander Darchev, and the US deputy assistant secretary of state, Sonata Coulter.

 

According to officials from both countries, the main focus of the consultations in Istanbul is the restoration of the work of diplomatic missions.

 

Following Trump’s return to the White House, he has put talks between the United States and Russia on the agenda by promising to stop the war in Ukraine and has spoken to Vladimir Putin on the phone several times.

 

Prior to today’s talks in Istanbul, US and Russian representatives had held meetings in Saudi Arabia on the subject of the war in Ukraine as well as bilateral relations.

 

US State Department spokesman Tommy Bruce said that “Ukraine is absolutely not on the agenda (of the US-Russian talks in Istanbul).”