Russia, U.S. Discuss ‘Irritants’ in Bilateral Relations, Major Issues Remain Unresolved

Russian and United States diplomats have held talks aimed at addressing so-called “irritants” in bilateral relations, but key disagreements between the two countries remain unresolved, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday. Speaking to Russian news agency Interfax, Ryabkov noted that while discussions took place, they did not result in progress on the most critical issues affecting ties between Moscow and Washington.

According to Ryabkov, the talks focused on technical and diplomatic obstacles that have complicated day-to-day relations, including restrictions on diplomatic missions and operational challenges faced by embassies in both countries. However, he emphasized that the fundamental political and strategic disputes continue to hinder any meaningful reset in relations.

Ties between Russia and the United States have been strained for more than a decade, deteriorating sharply following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and worsening further after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Since then, Washington has imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow, while diplomatic engagement has been reduced to limited, issue-specific talks.

Despite the ongoing tensions, both sides have maintained intermittent communication channels to manage risks, particularly in areas related to nuclear stability, diplomatic operations, and security concerns. Analysts say such engagements are largely aimed at preventing misunderstandings rather than resolving broader geopolitical disputes.

There was no immediate indication that further talks would lead to a breakthrough, as Ryabkov reiterated that core issues -including sanctions, security guarantees, and the conflict in Ukraine remain far from resolution.