Russia, US agree to resolve diplomatic mission issues: Russia's top diplomat

By Alperen Aktas and Elena Teslova

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that Russia and the US have agreed to resolve issues concerning their diplomatic missions “once and for all.”

Speaking after a meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Lavrov said Moscow and Washington have decided to appoint ambassadors as soon as possible and work toward eliminating obstacles affecting the functioning of their embassies.

The bilateral talks, aimed at normalizing diplomatic operations, also focused on ending the war in Ukraine and exploring future cooperation on geopolitical and economic matters.

He also said the US will soon announce its representative for discussions on the Ukraine conflict, followed by Russia doing the same.

Lavrov expressed hope for regular consultations between Russia and the US on key issues.

The discussions, hosted by Saudi Arabia to support diplomatic dialogue, mark the first meeting between the Russian and US diplomats since the Ukraine war began on Feb. 24, 2022, nearly three years ago.

The Russian delegation is led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and includes presidential aides Yury Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

On the US side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads the delegation, accompanied by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Steve Witkoff, special envoy for the Middle East.