Moscow says US-Russia relations are normalizing
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- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says ties with Washington are returning to normal through quiet expert-level talks.
- Remarks follow the first announced Russia-Ukraine-US talks in Abu Dhabi on a US-backed settlement proposal.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says relations between Russia and the United States are returning to a more normal footing, with both sides engaged in dialogue on long-standing disputes that have fueled tensions.
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Speaking to Russia’s state news agency TASS, Ryabkov says contacts are taking place at the expert level, describing the process as a gradual normalization. He notes that such practical communications are being conducted in the two capitals, Washington and Moscow.
Quiet talks, limited disclosure
Ryabkov says the previous round of discussions was held in Washington. He adds that the contacts are not widely publicized to preserve what he calls the appropriate atmosphere and conditions for dialogue. According to Ryabkov, efforts are underway to determine how the outcomes of these meetings will eventually be presented.
Abu Dhabi talks provide backdrop
Ryabkov’s comments come after the conclusion of the first round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States in Abu Dhabi. The meetings focus on a settlement proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump, though no compromise has yet been reached.
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The talks mark the first publicly announced direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv on the US plan to end the war that began in February 2022.
High-level participation
The Abu Dhabi discussions include US presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Russia’s General Staff official Igor Kostyukov, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, and other senior officials from both sides.
Russia has previously reiterates its preference for a diplomatic solution while warning that it will continue pursuing its objectives through military means if a negotiated outcome remains out of reach.
