US-Russia talks open door for diplomatic reset as Putin expresses "hope"

Senior Russian and US officials held six hours of discussions in Istanbul on February 27 in an attempt to normalise diplomatic operations between their respective embassies.

The talks, focusing on practical issues such as staffing, visas, and banking, marked an early test of Washington and Moscow’s ability to improve relations under Donald Trump’s new administration, Caliber.Az reports, citing US Department of State.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed cautious optimism, stating that initial contacts with the Trump administration had offered "certain hopes" for rebuilding trust. However, he emphasised that significant progress would take time.

The meeting, held at the US consul general’s residence, concluded without public statements. Russia’s foreign ministry said it was expected to be the first in a series of confidence-building engagements aimed at easing tensions.

While the US insisted the discussions were not political and did not include Ukraine, Trump’s rapid diplomatic overtures towards Moscow have raised concerns among Kyiv and European allies. They fear that a swift rapprochement could result in a peace deal that overlooks their security interests.

Despite the talks’ limited scope, they could pave the way for broader cooperation, including potential business ventures. Putin suggested that the US could be invited to collaborate on rare earth mining in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. Meanwhile, Kremlin officials hinted at possible joint projects in the Arctic, though discussions on this remain at an early stage.

The US delegation was led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter, while Russia was represented by Alexander Darchiyev, a leading candidate to become Moscow’s next ambassador to Washington.

By Aghakazim Guliyev