Istanbul: The second round of talks between the United States and Russia kicked off in Istanbul, marking a continued effort to stabilize embassy operations between the two nations. The US delegation arrived at the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul at 9:45 a.m. local time (0645 GMT), setting the stage for discussions aimed at normalizing diplomatic engagements.

According to Anadolu Agency, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce had earlier emphasized that the talks would focus solely on "further stabilizing the operations of their bilateral missions," explicitly excluding political, security, and Ukraine-related issues from the agenda. The discussions are being held at the residence of the Russian consul general in Istanbul, with expectations that they will not extend as long as the previous six-hour session.

The Russian delegation is being led by Russia's Ambassador to the US, Alexander Darchiev, while Deputy Assistant Secretary Sonata Coulter heads the US team. Prior to the meeting, Darchiev hinted at some progress already achieved on several matters, suggesting a potentially positive outcome from this round of talks.

The talks represent a continued diplomatic effort to improve the operational dynamics of the respective diplomatic missions, although both parties have made it clear that broader geopolitical issues remain outside the scope of these discussions.