US, Russia Set to Discuss Embassy Operations in Istanbul

U.S. and Russian officials are set to meet in Istanbul on April 10 to discuss the operations of their embassies, confirming that the talks will not address political or security issues, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce emphasized that the discussions are solely focused on stabilizing embassy operations and do not aim to normalize bilateral relations, which she stated could only occur after peace is achieved in Ukraine. Both delegations will be led by their respective ambassadors, with the U.S. side represented by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter and the Russian side by Ambassador Aleksandr Darchiyev. The meeting follows a previous round of discussions held in February, where both sides had described the talks as fruitful but acknowledged the challenges in diplomatic relations due to ongoing tensions. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, diplomatic activities have been significantly hampered, leading to a reduction in the staff of both embassies. The current talks aim to address operational challenges without delving into the broader geopolitical issues between the two nations.