Russia, US Plan Third Round Bilateral Talks Soon

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov announced that a third round of Russian-US bilateral consultations will take place very soon, although no specific date has been set. These talks aim to address various complex issues, including the normalization of diplomatic missions, simplification of diplomat movement, and the return of Russian diplomatic properties confiscated by the US. The discussions are expected to also cover broader international matters such as the Middle East and the Iranian nuclear program. Previous meetings occurred in Istanbul earlier in the year following engagement between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Moscow seeks clearer responses from Washington regarding proposals like resuming direct flights between the two countries, which US officials have linked to progress on a ceasefire in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have expressed willingness to cooperate on Iran’s nuclear issues during recent communications.