Russian and American delegations met at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on Feb. 27 for talks on normalization of relations, including operations of each country’s embassies.
“We have announced that our diplomats and high-level experts will meet to address systemic problems arising from the previous U.S. administration’s unlawful efforts to create artificial barriers to the Russian embassy’s activities. Naturally, we reciprocated by imposing similarly uncomfortable conditions for the US embassy in Moscow,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov replied to a media question at a Feb. 26 press briefing in Doha, Qatar.
“To be clear, there are no political or security issues on the agenda. Ukraine is not on the agenda,” a State Department spokesperson said Feb. 26, reported Reuters. “The constructiveness of these talks will become apparent very quickly; either issues will get resolved or they won’t. We will know soon if Russia is really willing to engage in good faith,” the spokesperson added.
The U.S. delegation will be led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter; the Russian delegation by Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director of the North Atlantic Department Aleksandr Darchiyev.
