US and Russia hold talks to restore diplomatic functions
Delegations from the United States and Russia arrived in Istanbul on Thursday for talks aimed at normalizing the operations of their diplomatic missions, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, which has led to the most severe confrontation between Moscow and the West since the height of the Cold War, according to Reuters.
Reuters images show several cars entering the Russian consulate building in downtown Istanbul.
According to Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the talks will be led by the new Russian ambassador to the United States, Aleksandr Darciev, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Sonata Coulter.
Both Moscow and Washington have stated that the primary objective of the talks is to restore the functioning of their diplomatic missions, after years of disputes, mutual accusations of intimidation, and even the blocking of diplomatic properties, which have strained relations between the two nuclear powers.
"Ukraine is not on the agenda, absolutely," said U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday. "These discussions are focused solely on the operations of our embassies, not the broader normalization of bilateral relations, which, as we have previously stated, can only happen when there is peace between Russia and Ukraine."
Both Moscow and Washington have complained in recent years about the difficulties in obtaining diplomatic accreditations, which has made the operation of embassies increasingly difficult.
Russia has stated that, due to Western restrictions, paying diplomats' salaries has become complicated, while U.S. diplomats assert that their freedom of movement in Russia is severely restricted.
Both sides have reported instances of intimidation.
Also on the agenda is the issue of diplomatic properties. Washington has imposed restrictions on six Russian properties, including the Killenworth estate on Long Island, the Pioneer Point villa in Maryland, the Russian consulates in San Francisco and Seattle, and the commercial missions in Washington and New York.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
