Delegations from the United States and Russia arrived in Istanbul on Thursday for crucial discussions aimed at restoring the operations of their diplomatic missions—talks that come amid the most serious rift between Moscow and the West since the Cold War, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Reuters footage captured several vehicles entering the Russian consulate in central Istanbul, where the discussions are taking place.
Leading the talks are Russia’s new ambassador to Washington, Alexander Darchiev, and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.
The focus of the dialogue is strictly on normalising the functioning of embassies and consulates, which has been severely hindered in recent years due to escalating tensions, mutual accusations of intimidation, and disputes over diplomatic property.
“Ukraine is not, absolutely not on the agenda,” clarified State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce earlier this week. “These talks are solely focused on our embassy operations, not on normalizing a bilateral relationship overall, which can only happen, as we’ve noted, once there is peace between Russia and Ukraine.”
Both sides have expressed frustration over hurdles such as delays in credential approvals for diplomats, which have made embassy operations increasingly difficult. Russia has also complained that Western sanctions have even made it hard to pay its diplomats, while U.S. officials report being subject to movement restrictions within Russia.
One of the more contentious issues is the status of diplomatic properties. Washington has imposed restrictions on six Russian-owned sites, including the Killenworth estate in Long Island, the Pioneer Point retreat in Maryland, consulates in San Francisco and Seattle, and trade missions in Washington, D.C., and New York.
These talks represent a focused attempt to manage the day-to-day diplomatic relationship amidst broader geopolitical strains.
