At the U.S.-Russia talks in Istanbul on February 27, Russian representatives proposed restoring direct flights between the two countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
“The American side was invited to consider the possibility of restoring direct air service,” the ministry said.
According to the statement, the meeting involved a “substantive” discussion of “ways to overcome numerous ‘irritants’ inherited from the previous U.S. administrations.” The two sides reportedly agreed on “joint steps to ensure the unhindered financing of the activities of the diplomatic missions of Russia and the U.S. on a reciprocal basis and to create proper conditions for diplomats to fulfill their official duties.”
“Issues related to Russia’s diplomatic property in the U.S. were also raised in the context of returning six real estate properties that were unlawfully seized between 2016 and 2018. The importance of achieving practical results aimed at creating conditions for improving bilateral relations in the interests of the peoples of our countries was particularly emphasized,” the ministry added.