Diplomatic Focus: US-Russia Embassies Talk

The U.S. and Russia will meet in Istanbul to discuss stabilizing embassy operations without delving into political or security issues. The meeting aims to address staffing and functionality, following prior talks in February. Discussions will exclude Ukraine, concentrating solely on embassy functionality.

The U.S. State Department has announced that American and Russian delegates will convene in Istanbul on April 10 to discuss stabilizing their embassy operations. The talks will strictly address operational matters and exclude political or security topics, focusing on diplomatic functionality.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that Ukraine is not part of the agenda, emphasizing the discussions' exclusive focus on embassies and reiterating that broader diplomatic normalization hinges on achieving peace between Russia and Ukraine. The talks will occur at the Russian consulate in Istanbul.

Previous meetings in February aimed to restore normal diplomatic functions amidst challenging relations, highlighted by numerous expulsions and staffing limitations over the past decade. The discussions represent a critical step in managing embassies, with Russia's new ambassador to the U.S., Alexander Darchiev, leading the Russian team, while Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter will head the U.S. delegation.

(With inputs from agencies.)