Talks on Moscow-Washinton embassy disputes The summit is meant to resolve decades of diplomatic restrictions and staffing problems that have damaged bilateral relations in recent years.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has confirmed the talks as a necessary step towards normalizing diplomatic work. “This meeting will deal with systemic problems arisen in the result of unlawful actions undertaken by the previous US government which artificially hindered operations of our embassy,” Lavrov said during a visit to Qatar.
The meeting comes after talks between the United States and Russia in Saudi Arabia recently, which marked a diplomatic change of pace under the tenure of President Donald Trump’s second term. Those talks, held without Ukrainian officials, was an important step toward reconciliation—diplomatic and economic easing—between the two countries. 
A representative of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara confirmed the Istanbul encounter but said Ukraine would not be discussed. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli confirmed the meeting but did not provide more information, confirming Ankara’s willingness to support future initiatives towards peace.
Given current high tensions between the two great powers, the results of these negotiations might reveal the degree to which diplomatic relations could warm up quickly, conceivable providing relief to restrictions on embassy functions and opening doors for wider deliberations on international security.
