U.S. and Russia Hold Talks in Istanbul to Revive Embassy Operations

The United States and Russia began closed-door negotiations in Istanbul to discuss the restoration of diplomatic staffing and operational issues at their embassies, Radio Liberty reported on February 27.

“The agenda includes staffing, visas, diplomatic banking operations, and other logistical matters,” a U.S. State Department representative told Reuters, emphasizing that the talks will not cover Ukraine or security and policy issues.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed ahead of the talks that discussions would focus on the functioning of embassies in Washington and Moscow, as well as Russian consulates in New York and Houston.

“By the end of the negotiations, we will understand how quickly and effectively we can move forward,” Lavrov stated.

According to Reuters, the delegations are led by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter and Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexander Darchiev, who heads the North American Department.

Since 2016, the U.S. and Russia have expelled hundreds of diplomats in a series of tit-for-tat moves, severely limiting the operations of their respective embassies.

Russian diplomatic missions in the U.S. now function under severe staffing constraints, while American embassies in Russia remain largely shut due to Moscow’s ban on “unfriendly” nations hiring Russian citizens for diplomatic work.

The U.S. has recently indicated a willingness to restore embassy staffing. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously stated that Washington and Moscow had agreed to move forward with replenishing diplomatic personnel in their capitals.

The negotiations are taking place behind closed doors, with neither delegation’s full composition publicly disclosed.

Earlier, reports emerged that the United States and Russia were exploring potential economic cooperation in the Arctic, including natural resource exploration and the use of emerging trade routes.