Russia and the United States will hold a third round of negotiations on resolving diplomatic “irritants” before the end of autumn, focusing on visas, embassies, and confiscated property.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov announced that the next round of talks between Moscow and Washington will take place before winter. “It will definitely be held before the end of autumn. No dates have been set yet, discussions are still underway,” he said, as reported by TASS.
First Two Rounds in Riyadh and Istanbul
The first meeting on diplomatic “irritants” took place in Riyadh in February. The delegations, led by Alexander Darchiev and Elizabeth Coulter, discussed issues including financing of diplomatic missions, working conditions for diplomats, the return of six Russian diplomatic properties seized in the United States between 2016 and 2018, and the possibility of restoring direct air travel.
The second round was held in Istanbul in April, where both sides agreed to draft a “roadmap” for the return of the confiscated properties and ensure uninterrupted financial services for embassies. They also pledged to seek “mutually acceptable solutions.”
“The delegations reviewed irritants inherited from the previous US administration that must be urgently resolved to restore trust,” said Russian representative Alexander Darchiev.
US and Russian Positions
The US State Department described the Istanbul talks as “constructive,” while raising concerns over Moscow’s ban on employing local staff at the American embassy in Russia, calling it a “key obstacle” to maintaining stable operations.
The third round was initially planned for the summer but was canceled by Washington. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed hope that the pause would not be prolonged.
On September 27, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that the next round of consultations will take place this fall. He specified that the agenda includes visa issues, embassy functioning, Russian property in the US, and “other aspects of the day-to-day operation of our diplomatic missions.”
