Thu Feb 27 02:49:00 UTC 2025: ## US and Russia to Hold Embassy Operations Talks in Istanbul
**Istanbul, Turkey –** U.S. and Russian diplomats will meet in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss the operational challenges faced by their respective embassies in Moscow and Washington, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced Wednesday. The meeting follows a significant thaw in U.S.-Russia relations, stemming from talks held in Saudi Arabia last week. These talks, a departure from previous U.S. policy under President Biden’s administration, saw both nations agree to work towards ending the war in Ukraine and improving diplomatic and economic ties. The agenda for the Istanbul meeting will focus solely on embassy operations, excluding the Ukraine conflict.
The improvement in relations marks a sharp contrast to the strained ties of recent years, which plummeted to Cold War levels following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Lavrov stated that the meeting aims to address “systemic problems” created by what he termed “unlawful activities” of previous U.S. administrations, resulting in reciprocal restrictions on embassy staffing and operations. The success of the Istanbul meeting will indicate the pace of further progress in improving U.S.-Russia relations. Turkey, which hosted the meeting, has offered its continued support for any peace efforts.
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