ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A Russian delegation arrived on Thursday at the U.S. consul general’s residence in Istanbul for Russia-U.S. talks aimed at resolving disputes over the work of their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow.
While the scope of the talks is narrow and will not include Ukraine, they will provide a test of both sides’ seriousness about repairing their relations and working to end the war.
The meeting follows a phone call between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on Feb. 12 and a high-level diplomatic meeting in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18.
In office for just over five weeks, Trump has overturned the policy of his predecessor Joe Biden, who sought to isolate and punish Russia for waging war against Ukraine.
Ukraine and its European allies are worried that Trump’s push to end the conflict swiftly could lead to a deal with Moscow that sidelines them and undermines their security.
The U.S. State Department said Thursday’s talks, which will be led by working level officials, will not include any discussions on Ukraine or political or security issues, but will still be seen as a test of Moscow’s intent.
“To be clear, there are no political or security issues on the agenda. Ukraine is not on the agenda,” a State Department spokesperson said.
“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.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the talks would focus on creating better conditions for Russian diplomats in the United States and their U.S. counterparts in Russia, after a series of rows over staffing levels and embassy properties.
The outcome “will show how quickly and effectively we can move,” Lavrov said.
Trump has said he wants to move quickly towards a ceasefire in Ukraine, but Putin this week tempered expectations of rapid progress, saying nothing could be achieved without restoring trust between Russia and the United States.
(Reporting by Jonathan Spicer and Reuters in Moscow; writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
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