Officials from the United States and Russia are scheduled to meet on Thursday in Istanbul to address issues affecting their diplomatic missions in each other’s countries, as announced by Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, on Wednesday.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the Russian Embassy in Washington have been operating with minimal staff due to years of diplomat expulsions and operational restrictions. Both embassies continue to face regular protests.
Mr. Lavrov’s announcement highlights a significant shift in relations between the two nations, which have historically been adversaries. Last week, negotiating teams from both sides gathered in Riyadh for their most extensive discussions in years, during which they committed to collaborating on ending the war in Ukraine and exploring economic opportunities, as well as re-establishing normal diplomatic relations.
While visiting Doha, the capital of Qatar, Mr. Lavrov stated that the diplomats are set to “meet to address systemic problems” stemming from the mutual restrictions imposed on embassy activities in previous years.
“A meeting on this matter will take place tomorrow in Istanbul,” Mr. Lavrov noted. “Following its outcome, we will gain clarity on the pace and effectiveness of our progress,” he added, indicating that the results could influence how quickly Washington and Moscow could address other issues.
The rapid rapprochement initiated by President Trump with the Kremlin has raised concerns among Ukraine and American allies in Europe.