Emerging
May 26, 20261
Russia says talks with U.S. on bilateral disputes have made limited progress
Russia says it has held multiple contacts with the United States this year on bilateral irritants, with only limited progress on minor issues. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the main disputes, including diplomatic property and direct air service, remain unresolved.
Quick Facts
- Held contacts on bilateral irritants
- Reported limited progress on minor issues
- Said there was no progress on diplomatic property and direct air service
- Continued discussions despite unresolved disputes
- Russian Foreign Ministry
Russia says it has held several contacts with the United States since the start of the year on bilateral disputes, with some limited progress achieved on secondary issues, but no movement on what it sees as the main sticking points. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov made the comments on the sidelines of the International Security Forum in Moscow.
Ryabkov said the two sides have been in contact more than once and described the process as slow and difficult. He said Moscow was not taking an optimistic view of the talks, but believed there had been small steps forward in some areas.
He said there had been no progress on what Russia considers the key issues, including the return of diplomatic property Moscow says was illegally seized and the resumption of direct flights between the two countries. According to Ryabkov, Washington has shown no sign of moving toward Russia's demands on those questions.
The remarks suggest that while communication between the two governments continues, the broader relationship remains constrained by unresolved disputes. Moscow said it will continue to press its priorities while also working on less significant matters where discussion is still possible.
Why This Matters
The talks show that Washington and Moscow still have an open channel on practical disputes, but the lack of progress on core issues means broader normalization remains unlikely soon. For readers, the key takeaway is that even if lower-level contacts continue, major obstacles such as diplomatic property and direct flights can continue to affect staffing, travel, and the pace of any thaw in relations.
Timeline & Sources
May 26, 2026
WireSergey Ryabkov said there had been limited progress but no movement on key issues.