High-level diplomatic representatives from Russia and the United States are set to meet in Istanbul, Türkiye, on February 27 to discuss issues related to their embassies’ operations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has confirmed. The planned discussions are unfolding amidst a backdrop of prolonged diplomatic hostilities and operational restrictions, which have significantly impeded the functioning of embassies on both sides.

Speaking at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, Lavrov underscored that the Istanbul talks would primarily focus on “normalizing the work of both countries’ embassies.” He noted that the outcome of the meeting could play a key role in determining how “quickly and effectively we can move forward” in re-establishing a stable diplomatic framework.

Lavrov explicitly referenced “systemic issues” that, according to him, stem from “the previous US administration’s unlawful actions to create artificial obstacles” for Russia’s diplomatic mission. He was referring to a series of restrictions imposed on Russian diplomatic operations, some of which date back to the administration of former US President Barack Obama.

These restrictions include diplomatic expulsions and property seizures, which predate the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. In late 2016, during his final weeks in office, Obama ordered Russian diplomats to vacate residential compounds in New York and Maryland. These moves were later compounded by further property seizures, exacerbating tensions between the two countries. Moscow responded with countermeasures, triggering an ongoing cycle of diplomatic retaliation.

Since Joe Biden took office in 2021, tensions have only deepened. Both Washington and Moscow have imposed stringent operational restrictions on each other’s embassies, reducing diplomatic staffing and significantly hampering traditional........

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