The United States has cancelled the next round of diplomatic talks with Russia aimed at restoring bilateral relations, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, as reported by Rks News.
The talks were scheduled to take place in Moscow and were meant to continue earlier consultations held on February 18 in Riyadh and April 10 in Istanbul. Zakharova said the upcoming meeting was intended to “eliminate points of irritation” and help normalize the functioning of diplomatic missions, Kyiv Independent reports.
“We hope the pause taken by the U.S. will not last long,” Zakharova stated, underlining the importance of these contacts for diplomatic stability.
The U.S. has not yet commented on the cancellation. However, earlier it had described the Istanbul discussions as a “constructive approach.”
The negotiations have included issues like banking services for diplomatic missions and potential paths to ending the war in Ukraine. According to Russian Ambassador to the U.S., Alexander Darchiev, both sides had agreed to continue dialogue in their respective capitals.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are being further complicated by comments from former President Donald Trump, who recently suggested that sometimes “it’s better to let the conflict continue,” comparing the war to a fight between children that shouldn’t be broken up too quickly.
This stance has been met with skepticism in Kyiv and among its allies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for greater U.S. involvement, warning that:
“America’s and the world’s silence encourages Putin.”
