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The US and Russia reopen the doors of the dialogue in Istanbul, Ukraine remains off the table

Politiko 2025-04-10 18:15:05

The US and Russia reopen the doors of the dialogue in Istanbul, Ukraine remains

U.S. and Russian delegations have met in Istanbul for the second time, fueling hopes for a de-escalation of tensions between the two world powers. However, surprisingly, the topic of Ukraine was not touched at all, a decision that is sparking speculation about the real reasons behind these talks.

The meeting took place in the wake of diplomatic contacts between US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who had a meeting in Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago. The first round of these talks was held on February 27, while the second signals cautious but deliberate continuity.

The U.S. delegation was led by Sonata Coulter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia and Central Europe — a name with growing influence in U.S. diplomacy in the region. On the Russian side, the meeting was chaired by Ambassador Alexander Darhiyev, a figure with long experience in US-Russia relations.

The statement issued by the US State Department states that the meeting had a constructive tone and was aimed at improving the way the diplomatic missions of both countries operate on each other's territory. The US expressed concern about Russia's ban on hiring local staff at the US embassy in Moscow, which has created an operational crisis at personnel levels.

According to diplomatic sources, the discussions were technical and focused on how embassies and consulates operate on a daily basis, without going into more sensitive geopolitical issues such as Ukraine, Syria or NATO expansion.

What has surprised analysts most is the total lack of discussion on the issue of Ukraine, although it is the main issue currently dividing Washington and Moscow. Is this a signal for a separation of the technical dialogue from the political one? Or is something bigger being prepared behind the scenes?

International relations experts suggest that the parties may be testing the ground for resuming relations at lower levels, before facing hotter files.

The final statement of the parties confirms that a third round of talks is being planned, although the place and date have not yet been made public. This means that, albeit slowly, the two superpowers have not closed the channels of communication – good news in an increasingly polarized world.

 

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