US-Russia talks in Istanbul: Reintegration instead of severance

Russia and the United States have agreed during negotiations in Istanbul to develop a “roadmap” for the return of six Russian diplomatic properties confiscated by US authorities, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Photo: wikimapia by Vadim.tk, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Istanbul, Turkey

Alexander Darchiev, Russia’s ambassador to the US and head of the Russian delegation, “specifically emphasized the importance of urgent practical steps in this direction, including immediate access to the mentioned properties for Russian representatives for inspection and damage assessment,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Both delegations also committed to ensuring uninterrupted banking and financial services for each other’s diplomatic missions.

Russia wants six diplomatic properties back

The two sides agreed to work toward “mutually acceptable solutions” by the next round of consultations, the date of which is still being finalized. The Russian side raised the issue of returning six diplomatic properties owned by Russia. Darchiev stressed the importance of immediate access to inspect and assess the damage done to the confiscated sites.

The Foreign Ministry also stated that Moscow and Washington intend to resolve the issues discussed in Istanbul before the next round of talks. Darchiev noted that both sides exchanged diplomatic notes confirming the agreement on guarantees for unimpeded financial services to their diplomatic missions. He also mentioned that the two countries agreed on further measures to ease the movement and visa processing of diplomats. Russia, he added, made it clear that the return of its confiscated diplomatic property in the US remains a top priority.

Earlier, Darchiev said that the latest round of bilateral expert consultations had advanced the process of normalizing embassy operations between the two nations.

Trump: Russia-Ukraine agreement coming soon

US President Donald Trump expressed hope that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine would be reached relatively soon.

He previously stated that Russia, the US, and Ukraine were close to reaching agreements on the conflict in Ukraine, although he acknowledged the situation had worsened over the past week due to intensified bombings.