US-Russia talks in Istanbul meant to 'strengthen trust,' first of many, Moscow says
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Russia hopes the meeting with U.S. officials in Istanbul will "strengthen the trust" between the two countries, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Feb. 27.
"We expect that today's meeting will be first in the series of similar expert consultations that will move us closer, together with the U.S., in overcoming disagreements and strengthening trust," spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing.
U.S. and Russian delegations began their meeting in Istanbul earlier on Feb. 27, following up on the initial round of talks in Riyadh on Feb. 18.
The meetings come amid U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to broker a swift peace deal with Russia, speaking concerns that Washington's partners in Kyiv and Europe are being sidelined in the process.
The second meeting will not include discussions on Ukraine, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told the media. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the deliberations will focus on embassy operations.
The discussions would concern "systemic problems that have accumulated as a result of the illegal activities of the previous U.S. administration to create artificial obstacles to the activities of the Russian Embassy," leading Moscow to "respond in kind," Lavrov said.
The Biden administration has cut most official contacts with Russia after the outbreak of the full-scale war in an attempt to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin on the global stage.
