Russian and American diplomatic teams held six-hour talks in Turkey today, in an effort to restore the normal functioning of their embassies. Vladimir Putin stated that initial contacts with the new administration of Donald Trump had sparked hope.
The talks, which were closely focused on the conditions for each other’s diplomats, provided an early test of the two countries’ ability to restore broader relations. This comes amid efforts by the Trump administration that have alarmed Washington’s European allies and Kyiv.
Last year, the Kremlin described the relations as being “below zero” under Joe Biden’s administration, which supported Ukraine with aid and arms, and imposed sanctions on Russia to punish it for its invasion in 2022.
However, Trump, who promised a quick end to the war, rapidly shifted U.S. policy to open talks with Moscow, having a phone call with Putin on February 12 and a high-level diplomatic meeting in Saudi Arabia six days later.
Ukraine and its European allies are concerned that Trump’s rapid approach to Moscow might lead to an agreement to end the war that excludes them and undermines their security. Trump has stated that he wants to end the bloodshed with an early ceasefire.
This week, Putin softened expectations for a quick agreement, saying that trust between Russia and the United States needed to be rebuilt before anything could be achieved.
But in televised comments to members of the FSB security service on Thursday, he said, “I note that the initial contacts with the new U.S. administration inspire some hope.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that the talks in Istanbul were expected to be the first in a series of contacts aimed at building trust and removing “irritants” in bilateral relations.
As an example of judicial cooperation, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office said that Dmitry Koshelev, who was wanted by Moscow on suspicion of stealing $1.5 million from an armed courier in 2014, would be deported from the United States on Thursday.
