US and Russian officials have met in Turkey to discuss ways of normalizing the operations of their countries’ embassies.
Russia’s state-run Tass news agency says the US and Russian diplomats held talks for five and a half hours at the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul on Thursday.
The officials reportedly agreed to make it easier for diplomats to travel and receive visas.
The agency also says the two sides discussed the need to resume direct air service between the countries. The Russian side is said to have mentioned that it wants its confiscated diplomatic property returned.
Russian diplomatic sources previously told NHK that the latest talks would only be about bilateral diplomatic relations, and that Ukraine would not be on the agenda.
US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce also told reporters that the meeting in Istanbul had nothing to do with Ukraine.
