Istanbul: The second round of talks between Russia and the US concluded Thursday afternoon in Istanbul after over five hours. The US delegation was the first to leave the Russian consul general residence without making any statements to the press.

According to Anadolu Agency, the discussions aimed to address efforts to "further stabilize the operations of their bilateral missions," focusing on embassies and consulates. The Russian delegation was led by Alexander Darchiev, ambassador to the US, while Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter headed the US team.

The talks followed an initial round held on February 27 in Istanbul, as part of a diplomatic channel established between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during their meeting in Saudi Arabia. Both delegations maintained a 'constructive approach' throughout the meeting, as stated by the US State Department.

"The United States reiterated its concerns about the Russian Federation's policy prohibiting the employment of local staff, which is the key impediment to maintaining stable and sustainable staffing levels at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow," the statement noted. Discussions also included the possibility of a follow-up meeting, with the date, location, and representation yet to be decided.

Darchiev informed journalists that the talks facilitated progress in consultations aimed at normalizing the work of diplomatic missions in each other's countries. The two sides exchanged notes on an agreement concerning mutual guarantees of unimpeded banking and financial servicing of diplomatic missions. The envoy mentioned that they agreed on measures to ease the movement of diplomats in the host country and visa processing.

The date for further consultations is being arranged, with Moscow emphasizing the priority of returning its diplomatic property confiscated in the US. Both sides expressed readiness to work on a road map for this issue.