Russia and the United States have agreed to resolve unresolved concerns about their diplomatic posts “once and for all,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Tuesday.
Speaking after a meeting in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, Lavrov described the talks with US representatives as “very useful,” noting that both sides had begun to “listen and hear each other.”
He stated that Moscow and Washington have agreed to nominate ambassadors in each other’s capitals as quickly as possible and to work together to remove obstacles to the operation of their embassies, according to latest reports.
The bilateral talks, aimed at normalising diplomatic operations, also focused on ending the war in Ukraine and restoring consultations on geopolitical challenges, as well as removing barriers to economic cooperation.
Both parties, he said, would try to create conditions for the full resumption of collaboration.
Lavrov confirmed that the US will soon announce its envoy for discussions on the Ukraine issue, and Russia will do the same shortly after.
He stated that while Russia and the United States have common understanding on certain subjects, this does not imply that their perspectives are aligned.
Mr Larov added that Russia had made it clear to the US that Ukraine’s NATO membership would pose a direct danger to Moscow.
According to Lavrov, Washington proposed a moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure in both Russia and Ukraine, but Moscow rejected the idea.
He also underscored that the presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian soil remains unacceptable to Russia.
Despite ongoing tensions, Lavrov acknowledged that Russia has felt the US determination to “move forward,” and Moscow shared the same sentiment.
The negotiations were the first meeting of Russian and US diplomats since the Ukraine conflict began on February 24, 2022, nearly three years ago.
Lavrov led the Russian team, which included presidential assistant Yury Ushakov and the Russian Direct Investment Fund’s chairman, Kirill Dmitriev.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio headed the group from the United States, which was also joined by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff for the Middle East.
