Russia says key issues remain unresolved in talks with US

Russia and the United States have held another round of talks aimed at resolving mutual irritants, with discussions taking place at a high professional level, according to Moscow.

Speaking to Interfax, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the contacts took place at a working level, allowing the full agenda to be discussed thoroughly.

“We cannot say that significant progress has been made,” Ryabkov said. “There are individual topics where progress can be noted, but the main issues remain unresolved. Further efforts will be required, and political-level impulses may be needed to move forward.”

Ryabkov indicated that the next round of talks is tentatively scheduled for early spring, though no specific dates have been confirmed.

The Trump administration is pursuing improved relations with Russia through two parallel diplomatic tracks: high-level talks to end the Ukraine war and working-level discussions on bilateral "irritants."

The primary focus has been on Ukraine. The latest round occurred in Miami, Florida (December 19–21), featuring U.S.-mediated shuttle diplomacy. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held separate meetings with Ukrainian/European representatives and Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.

Discussions centred on a U.S. 20-point peace plan addressing security guarantees, territory, military limits, and reconstruction. Ukraine called the talks "productive," while Russia deemed initial exchanges "constructive" but criticised later amendments. No breakthroughs emerged, with territorial disputes remaining the key impasse.

In parallel, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov confirmed on December 23 that a recent working-level round addressed practical issues like diplomatic staffing, visas, seized properties, and flight suspensions. Described as thorough, these talks yielded limited progress on select topics, with core issues unresolved and a possible need for higher political input. The next round is tentatively set for early spring 2026.

These tracks highlight efforts toward broader rapprochement, though progress remains slow amid deep disagreements over Ukraine.

By Aghakazim Guliyev