The next round of diplomatic talks between the United States and Russia will take place in Moscow, marking a shift in venue from Istanbul as both sides seek to address the growing list of disputes in their bilateral relationship, Russia’s new ambassador to Washington confirmed, Reuters reported on June 11.
“The recovery of Russian-American relations is still a long way off,” Ambassador Alexander Darchiev said. He blamed the stalled progress on what he called the US “deep state” and anti-Russian “hawks” in Congress.
“I can confirm that the next negotiations of the delegations will take place in the very near future in Moscow,” Darchiev said, without specifying a date.
While few details are available about the upcoming talks in Moscow, the shift from a neutral location like Istanbul could signal a hardening of Russia’s diplomatic posture.
The move also comes as the Kremlin continues to demand concessions from NATO and the West—including, most recently, the withdrawal of NATO forces from the Baltic states—as a condition for ending the war in Ukraine.
Whether the talks will result in any meaningful thaw remains unclear. Both sides have previously expressed skepticism about the other’s willingness to compromise, and public rhetoric from senior Russian officials continues to focus on longstanding grievances with NATO and the U.S. security posture in Europe.
Earlier, Russia insisted on the absence of US representatives during the negotiations in Istanbul — both in May and at the most recent meeting.
As a result, the US delegation was absent, and Turkey, as the host country, served as the intermediary.
