US, Russia Hold Rare Talks in Istanbul Amid Ukraine Conflict

Despite ongoing tensions over the war in Ukraine, the United States and Russia commenced a new round of diplomatic talks in Istanbul on Thursday, aimed at normalizing bilateral relations, Bloomberg reports.

The discussions are focused on restoring diplomatic missions and resuming direct flights between the two countries, which Washington suspended following the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.

According to Russian Ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiyev, who is leading Moscow’s delegation, the talks will prioritize re-establishing the functionality of the embassies and consulates, as well as the resumption of direct flights. The war in Ukraine is not on the agenda, as confirmed by State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce earlier this week.

The US delegation is being led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Sonata Coulter.

This meeting follows recent diplomatic activity, including a visit to the US by Kirill Dmitriev, a representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dmitriev reportedly held meetings with Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington last week.

Since assuming office in January, President Trump has engaged in two publicly announced phone calls with President Putin, marking the beginning of a renewed effort to improve relations between Washington and Moscow after a period of strained communication.

Prior to this week’s talks, US and Russian representatives met at the US Consul General’s residence in Istanbul on February 27 to discuss restoring embassy operations. Following that meeting, President Putin expressed optimism, stating that the renewed contacts with the Trump administration “give us some hope.”