Latest news with #AleksandrDarchiev
Russia Today
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russian envoy reveals details of Trump meeting
Russia's new ambassador to the US, Aleksandr Darchiev, said he held a brief but 'very constructive' meeting with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, after formally presenting his credentials at the White House. Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 – their fourth conversation since Trump returned to the White House. 'We agreed on the need to restore ties in accordance with the instructions issued by Presidents Putin and Trump during their phone conversation,' Darchiev told RIA Novosti at the Russian Embassy following the meeting. 'I assured the president that, in line with the directives I received, I will do everything possible to help restore Russian-US relations and return them to a state of normalcy and common sense,' he added. 'A window of opportunity has opened to rebuild relations on the basis of mutual trust and equality,' the envoy said. 'Russia and the United States are destined, as great powers, to have a non-confrontational and peaceful coexistence.' Darchiev noted that the two sides are discussing business initiatives and the resumption of direct flights. He told TASS earlier that the embassy would work toward lifting what he called 'absurd' restrictions on Russian diplomatic activity in the US, as well as simplifying visa procedures. Under former President Joe Biden, the US severed nearly all direct contact with Russia in 2022 over the Ukraine conflict and imposed sweeping sanctions on Russian officials and businesses. Trump has criticized his predecessor for sidelining diplomacy and pledged to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kiev. While Moscow has praised Trump and his team for their shift in rhetoric and willingness to engage, no breakthrough has been achieved. Trump has threatened to impose additional measures on Russia if a ceasefire is not reached, but he has not endorsed the sanctions bill currently under consideration in the Senate.
Russia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Rubio sends congratulations on Russia Day
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has congratulated the Russian people on Russia Day, while vowing to work toward reaching a resolution of the Ukraine conflict. Rubio delivered the message on Wednesday, saying 'the United States remains committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on their aspirations for a brighter future.' The secretary of state took the opportunity to 'reaffirm the United States' desire for constructive engagement with the Russian Federation to bring about a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine.' He added that 'It is our hope that peace will foster more mutually beneficial relations between our countries.' It was the first such public statement by a US secretary of state since 2021, when Antony Blinken marked Russia Day by saying the US is 'steadfastly committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on the aspirations outlined in the Declaration of Russian State Sovereignty and their desire to work together with the international community and cooperate peacefully on matters of global concern.' Russia and the US have had strained relations for years, hitting an all-time low under then-US President Joe Biden following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. However, since taking office, President Donald Trump has moved to restore direct dialogue with Moscow. On Tuesday, Russia's new ambassador to the US, Aleksandr Darchiev, reported that he met with Trump at the White House to present his credentials. Darchiev said he promised Trump that the embassy would 'do everything to restore Russian-American relations,' adding that he believes the two great powers 'are destined for non-confrontational peaceful coexistence.' He went on to say that there is now a 'window of opportunity' to resume full intergovernmental ties and to seek 'mutually respectful and equal solutions' to global problems.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
No quick breakthroughs in US-Russia relations
Russia and the US still have a lot of issues to resolve in bilateral ties and it would be unwise to expect quick results, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Peskov was asked to comment on the state of relations between Moscow and Washington, as well as whether the deeply problematic Ukraine settlement process has complicated matters. The spokesman stressed that Russia and the US continue working on restoring bilateral ties, which sank to the all-time low during the administration of former US President Joe Biden. 'There are many logjams,' Peskov admitted. 'Quick results are unlikely. But a difficult, step-by-step process has begun and will continue.' The consultations on the 'irritants,' he said, are being handled by the two countries' foreign ministries as agreed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Peskov's remarks came after Aleksandr Darchiev, Russia's new ambassador to the US, said that the two countries are shifting the venue of their talks from neutral locations to Moscow and Washington. 'The next round will take place in Moscow in the very near future,' he told TASS. Darchiev echoed Peskov's assessment that relations remain 'far from recovery' due to deep-seated anti-Russia sentiment within the US political establishment. 'The process is difficult and is being obstructed not only by opponents of the White House in the so-called deep state, but also by hawks in Congress where a stable anti-Russian lobby exists,' he said. The ambassador noted that Russia's priorities are the return of diplomatic property seized in the US, as well as the resumption of direct flights between the two countries, which were suspended following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Russia and the US resumed full-scale diplomatic engagement after Trump's inauguration. The new US leader positioned himself as a key mediator in the Ukraine conflict. Russia and the US have held several rounds of talks dedicated both to the restoration of bilateral ties and to ending the hostilities between Moscow and Kiev. Two prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine have also been held since Trump took office.
Russia Today
10-04-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Russia and US reveal details of Istanbul talks
The Russian and US delegations at Thursday's talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, mainly focused on the restoration of normal operations of their respective diplomatic missions, both sides have revealed. The closed-door talks lasted for more than five hours. The Russian team was led by Moscow's newly appointed ambassador to Washington, Aleksandr Darchiev, while US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter headed the US delegation. Darchiev told reporters after the meeting that an 'understanding has been reached [to pursue] further measures aimed at easing the movement of diplomats in the host country as well as related visa procedures,' as quoted by TASS. With respect to Russian diplomatic properties previously seized by the US, Moscow and Washington agreed to work out a road map. Darchiev called on his American colleagues to aim big when it comes to restoring bilateral ties, including the resumption of direct flights between the two countries. According to the statement, Moscow and Washington agreed to thrash out the proposals put forward in Istanbul on Thursday so that mutually acceptable solutions can be found by the next meeting. READ MORE: Russia and US conduct new prisoner swap The Foreign Ministry in Moscow later announced that the Russian and US diplomats exchanged notes cementing their bilateral commitment to 'facilitating uninterrupted banking and financial services for Russian and American diplomatic missions,' a position echoed by the US side. The US agreed to address Moscow's financial contributions to the United Nations and other international organizations while Washington's representatives also brought up the issue of policies prohibiting the US embassy in Moscow from hiring local staff. The State Department noted that the two sides had 'discussed holding a follow-up meeting on these issues in the near term, as needed, with the date, location, and representation to be determined.' The last Russia-US consultations in Istanbul took place on February 27. Since assuming office in January, US President Donald Trump has engaged in active diplomacy with Russia, mounting a concerted diplomatic effort to end the Ukraine conflict. As a result, Washington and Moscow have gradually moved to restore bilateral contacts, which were effectively frozen under the administration of former US President Joe Biden.
Russia Today
01-03-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
US approves Moscow's new envoy
The United States has approved Aleksandr Darchiev as Moscow's new ambassador to Washington, Russia's Foreign Ministry has announced after bilateral talks in Türkiye this week. Darchiev, a senior diplomat with more than 30 years of experience, currently heads the Foreign Ministry's North Atlantic Department. He previously served as Russia's ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2021 and has held several high-ranking positions within the ministry, including deputy director of the North America Department and counselor at the Russian embassy in Washington. His appointment follows diplomatic discussions in Istanbul on Thursday, where Russian and US officials addressed issues affecting their embassies. The two nations are working to mend strained relations that deteriorated under the previous administration of US President Joe Biden. Talks focused on resuming regular operations at the US embassy in Moscow and the Russian embassy in Washington, with both sides identifying 'concrete initial steps,' according to the US State Department. In a statement on Friday, Russia's Foreign Ministry emphasized that normalization should be a reciprocal process. Both countries have imposed various restrictions on each other in recent years, including reducing diplomatic staff, limiting banking access, and seizing diplomatic properties. Moscow maintains its measures are in direct response to actions taken by Washington. Darchiev represented Russia at the talks, while the US delegation was led by Sonata Coulter, deputy assistant secretary of state for Eurasian affairs. The negotiations followed an earlier round of discussions on February 18 in Riyadh, where both sides agreed to restore staffing levels at their respective diplomatic missions. Darchiev's predecessor, Anatoly Antonov, served as Russia's ambassador to the US for seven years before returning to Moscow in October 2024.
