from Your News:
American and Russian diplomats met in Istanbul to negotiate embassy operations and financial access, but Ukraine ceasefire talks remain stalled.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Delegations from the United States and Russia held more than five hours of in-person talks in Istanbul on Thursday, focusing exclusively on restoring diplomatic operations and reducing bureaucratic tensions between the two nations, officials confirmed.
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The Russian delegation was led by newly appointed ambassador to the U.S., Aleksandr Darchiev, while the American side was represented by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter. Both parties characterized the dialogue as productive and constructive, though they emphasized that no progress was made on broader issues such as the war in Ukraine.
Darchiev told TASS that the meeting resulted in an “understanding” to pursue measures aimed at easing travel restrictions on diplomats and improving visa procedures. Additionally, Russian regional media reported that talks included plans to restore access to diplomatic properties seized by the U.S.
Another key point of agreement was the facilitation of banking services for both Russian and American embassies. According to a post-meeting statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, both sides are committed to ensuring “uninterrupted banking and financial services for Russian and American diplomatic missions.” The U.S. State Department confirmed the agreement, adding that notes were exchanged to finalize the understanding.
“These talks are solely focused on our embassy operations, not on normalizing a bilateral relationship overall,” said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, who emphasized that Ukraine was “absolutely not on the agenda.” She reiterated that a broader reset of U.S.-Russia relations remains impossible until there is a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Despite months of diplomacy, ceasefire negotiations remain at an impasse. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly signaled no urgency to finalize an agreement, viewing his forces as maintaining the initiative, particularly in Donetsk and southern Ukraine.
On the U.S. side, President Donald Trump’s administration is balancing the talks with a broader global trade conflict, including his recently announced “Liberation Day” tariffs and escalating retaliatory measures from China.
While U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff has met personally with Putin and continues to pursue ceasefire dialogue separately, the Istanbul meeting was tightly scoped to embassy matters.
