MOSCOW
\nRussia said on Friday it had suggested to the United States resuming direct flights between the two countries during talks in Istanbul this week that addressed \u201cmany annoyances\u201d in ties.
\nThe US and Europe stopped direct flights to Russia three years ago in the first days of Russia\u2019s offensive against Ukraine.
\n\u201cIt was suggested to the American side to examine the possibility of resuming direct air links,\u201d the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
\n\u201cPaths to resolving the many annoyances inherited from previous American administrations were discussed,\u201d the statement said.
\nThursday\u2019s talks in Istanbul were part of a remarkable rapprochement between Washington and Moscow initiated in recent weeks by US President Donald Trump, who also plans to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin soon.
\n\u201cThe discussions were substantive and professional\u201d and \u201cit was agreed to continue dialogue\u201d, the Russian foreign ministry statement said.
\nIt said \u201cjoint steps were agreed to ensure the unimpeded financing\u201d of the Russian and US embassies and there was discussion on returning to Russia six properties seized by the United States.
\n\u201cThe demand for practical results designed to create conditions for the improvement of bilateral relations in the interests of the peoples of our countries was particularly emphasised,\u201d it said.
\nThe US and Russian foreign ministers met in Saudi Arabia on February 18 for the first high-level meeting between the two countries since the start of Russia\u2019s campaign in Ukraine.
\nRussia names new envoy to US
\nRussia on Friday named career diplomat Alexander Darchiev as new ambassador to the United States, filling a role vacant since last year in another sign of easing tensions.
\nUS President Donald Trump has sought to restore ruptured ties with Moscow since taking office, reaching out to President Vladimir Putin and initiating high-level talks for the first time since Russia launched its offensive in Ukraine in 2022.
\nPutin withdrew his former envoy to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, last October but had not named a replacement amid abysmal bilateral relations over the Ukraine conflict.
\n\u201cThe American side handed over an official note of agreement on (Darchiev\u2019s) appointment,\u201d the Russian foreign ministry said.
\nDarchiev has worked in various Russian diplomatic roles since 1992, most recently as director of the Russian foreign ministry\u2019s North American department.
\n\u201cHis departure for his place of service in Washington is expected in the near future,\u201d the ministry added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MOSCOW Russia said on Friday it had suggested to the United States resuming direct flights between the two countries during talks in Istanbul this week that addressed \u201cmany annoyances\u201d in ties. The US and Europe stopped direct flights to Russia three years ago in the first days of Russia\u2019s offensive against Ukraine. \u201cIt was suggested […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":464623,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-464607","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n