Russia and United States to Hold New Talks Amid Bilateral Tensions

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Russia and the United States are scheduled to convene for new discussions within the next few weeks to tackle the ongoing tensions characterizing their bilateral relations. This was disclosed by Sergey Ryabkov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, who informed Sputnik news agency on Sunday that these upcoming meetings will focus on resolving shared concerns.

Ryabkov, responding to inquiries about the timing of these crucial discussions, stated that the sessions are slated to occur in the upcoming weeks. He further elaborated that such dialogues typically proceed on a periodic basis, a format he deemed constructive.

However, the Russian diplomat acknowledged a persistent challenge: “The problem is that the pace of progress, in terms of real and substantive advancement, is slower than expected and desired. Nevertheless, we will not abandon these efforts and will continue to move forward,” he emphasized.

Earlier, on Saturday, the Deputy Foreign Minister had also indicated the possibility of a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly sessions in New York. Ryabkov noted that the situation in Ukraine would be a central topic for detailed review during this potential encounter.

Ryabkov also clarified that specifics concerning the preparation for a new trilateral negotiation round involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine were not presently under discussion. Despite this, he expressed that a prolonged halt in negotiations is unlikely.

In late June, Ryabkov had previously commented that Russia-U.S. talks aimed at addressing bilateral tensions were at a standstill at that time. However, he then noted the possibility of further expert consultations before the end of the summer.

Following these statements, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that efforts were underway to determine the timing for the next contact between Russia and the United States, with the objective of addressing the existing strains in their bilateral relationship.