Russian and U.S. officials met for six hours in Turkey on Thursday in an effort to restore the normal functioning of their embassies. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking later in the day, said initial contacts with Trump’s team had given him hope for improved relations.
The discussions, held at the U.S. consul general’s gated residence in Istanbul, focused on diplomatic matters such as staffing levels, visas, and banking. While no public statements followed the meeting, the effort comes as Trump swiftly shifts U.S. policy toward Russia, opening direct dialogue just weeks into his term. His approach stands in stark contrast to that of Joe Biden, whose administration had backed Ukraine with military aid and imposed sanctions to punish Russia for its 2022 invasion. Last year, the Kremlin described U.S.-Russia relations as being “below zero” under Biden.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Istanbul discussions were expected to be the first in a series of meetings aimed at easing tensions and resolving long-standing diplomatic disputes.
Speaking to members of the FSB security service on Thursday, Putin said the initial engagements with Trump’s administration had sparked optimism. “I note that the first contacts with the new American administration inspire certain hopes,” he said. “There is a reciprocal mood to work to restore intergovernmental ties and to gradually resolve the huge number of systemic and strategic problems that have built up in the world’s security architecture.”
Beyond diplomatic issues, both countries see potential for business cooperation. Putin stated this week that Moscow was open to U.S. involvement in rare earth mining projects in Russia and in parts of Ukraine that it claims as its own. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested there could also be joint resource development in the Arctic, though no formal discussions on that have taken place yet.
The U.S. delegation in Istanbul was led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter, while Russia’s team was headed by Alexander Darchiev, director of the foreign ministry’s North America department. Darchiev is considered a leading candidate to become Russia’s next ambassador to Washington, a post that remains vacant.
