US, Russia agree to consultation mechanism to ease bilateral tensions

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US and Russian delegations meeting Tuesday agreed to establish a consultation mechanism to address issues that have been straining bilateral ties, the US State Department announced.

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

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the US is committed to stopping the violence and leveraging its global influence to unite nations.

She emphasized that President Donald Trump is the only leader positioned to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia. Russia-US ties during Trump’s first term in 2017-2021 were seen as warm.

The delegations agreed to appoint high-level teams to work toward a sustainable resolution in Ukraine and lay the groundwork for future collaboration on areas including economic and investment opportunities.

Both sides pledged to remain engaged to ensure progress.

The discussions follow Trump’s phone call last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking a step toward mending relations and preparing for a potential US-Russia summit.

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 the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

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