Russian and United States diplomats held talks Thursday in Istanbul on restoring regular operations at their embassies, as well as the possible restoration of direct flights between the two countries, officials from both sides said.The discussions, which lasted over six hours, were held at the United States Consul Generals residence and came days after United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Saudi Arabia.In attendance were Sonata Coulter, United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia and Central Europe, and Alexander Darchiyev, head of the North Atlantic Department at Russias Foreign Ministry.The United States raised concerns regarding access to banking and contracted services, as well as the need to ensure stable and sustainable staffing levels at the United States Embassy in Moscow, the United States State Department said in a statement late Thursday.In November, the business newspaper Kommersant reportedthat Russia had tapped Darchiyev as its next ambassador to the United States.
Russia has not had an ambassador to the United States since Anatoly Antonov returned to Moscow in October.On Friday, Russias Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said officials in Istanbulagreed on joint steps to ensure the uninterrupted financing of diplomatic missions in both countries and to create appropriate conditions for diplomats to carry out their duties effectively.Specifically, Moscow is seeking the return of six Russian-owned properties seized between 2016 and 2018,Zakharova said.
Russian diplomats also proposed the restoration of direct flights between the United States and Russia, which were suspended shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Zakharova described the discussions in Istanbul asconstructive and businesslike, adding that both sides had agreed to continue dialogue through diplomatic channels.The United States State Department, in its turn, said the two sides plan to hold a follow-up meeting in the near term but did not provide additional details.Russia and the United States have engaged in multiple rounds of diplomatic expulsions over the past decade, significantly reducing their respective embassy staffing levels.In 2016, the Obama administration expelled 35 Russian diplomats and closed two Russian compounds in response to alleged Russian interference in the United States presidential election.Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered further diplomatic reductions,leaving embassies struggling to operate with minimal staff.Since taking office last month, United States President Donald Trump has sought to reset relations with Moscow, initiating high-level talks with Kremlin officials for the first time in more than three years.