Russia and United States Plan Talks on Diplomatic Issues, Lavrov Says

Dragon Media News Desk

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia and the United States plan to hold talks soon on issues affecting the work of their diplomatic missions. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, he said he and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had agreed that the contacts should take place.

Experts from the two countries have yet to settle the date and venue, Lavrov said. The talks have therefore not begun. Their agenda will include the operation of Russia’s diplomatic missions in the United States and US missions in Russia, as well as diplomatic property.

Lavrov said Moscow had received no encouraging signal from the US administration on the property issue. The agreement to hold talks nevertheless provides a channel for addressing practical problems in the bilateral relationship. Any progress will depend on what the two sides achieve once the discussions begin.

The Russian foreign minister also called for dialogue among countries on an equal footing, with due regard for one another’s interests. He said that, despite Washington’s pursuit of its own priorities, the United States must engage with countries including Russia and China on matters of mutual concern.

Asked about recent contact with Germany, Lavrov said he could not judge Berlin’s intentions. He argued that talks would serve little purpose if they merely repeated established positions on European security. The planned Russia–US contacts, meanwhile, offer a specific opportunity to address diplomatic disagreements through direct discussion.