U.S. diplomacy

The Kremlin last year described relations as "below zero" under the administration of Joe Biden, who backed Ukraine with aid and weapons and imposed waves of sanctions on Russia to punish it for its invasion in 2022. The Russian team arrived in a black Mercedes van for the meeting at the gated residence of the U.S. consul general in Istanbul. Russian state TV said the talks were expected to last five to six hours (Read more at Reuters).