The unspecified postponement of the Russian-American summit to be held in Budapest led to the proposition that the momentum after the August gathering of Russian president Vladimir Putin with his American counterpart Donald Trump had already weakened.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev spoke about whether it truly is.
P: Donald Trump claims that the United States will carry out atomic trials “very soon”. How will this affect Russian-American relations and strategical stability? The Moscow initiative to extend the quantitative limits of the strategical Arms simplification Treaty (START) met a prolonged gap in response; it expires on 5 February 2026.
Alexander Darchiev: The situation is paradoxical. The American administration has inactive not provided an authoritative explanation, which the Russian Ministry of abroad Affairs asked for, among another things, whether the president of the United States meant atomic weapons trials that would de facto bury the arms control government that the Americans themselves have mostly destroyed or investigating fresh transportation systems. This leaves much area for speculation and innuendo.
If the Americans say that they request to carefully analyse the Russian initiative in order to keep the limits set by the fresh START Treaty for a year after its expiry – a process that can be carried out rapidly and without negotiation – then building uncertainty about this key issue of global safety and strategical stableness does not foster common trust and undermine the liable approach of the US side.
It is worth noting that the possible resumption of atomic trials in the United States has met with harsh criticism not only from political opponents Donald Trump, but besides experts from an appropriate professional environment who inform against the serious negative consequences of specified a step. The claims that Russia and China are investigating atomic weapons and that America must so follow in their footsteps are unfounded.
Such changes to the decision of the current administration are due to the desire to supply US military advantage. In Moscow, however, they are seen calmly in the light of breakthrough models of the latest weapons developed in fresh years, which supply our country with reliable security.
We have always been ready for an honest and equal dialog on this highly crucial issue, strictly respecting Russia's national interests. However, it should be borne in head that the conditions for specified dialog will only be met if we see affirmative developments in Washington's policy towards Russia.
P: The stagnation in the negotiations and the cancellation by Donald Trump of the proposed summit with Vladimir Putin in Budapest indicate that Washington withdrew from the Ukrainian issue. Can it be said that the affirmative momentum of the Anchorage summit has been exhausted?
Alexander Darchiev: No, it's not. The importance of Vladimir Putin's first individual encounter with Donald Trump, who had already returned to the White House, is that both leaders were negotiating on equal terms, trying to find a common language. Just due to the fact that the dialog is stuck in a dead end doesn't mean it's broken. Contacts at different levels continue, and this requires patience and perseverance.
At the same time, of course, the force exerted by the "deep state" and its representatives in power, who argue Donald Trump, cannot be ignored. They force the president to increase the force on Moscow, which is futile to force the Russians to immediately cease the war and rescue the Zelensk regime. Moreover, the fundamental principles of Trumpism, specified as “America first” and “peace by force”, imply the request for determined negotiations to destruct accumulated “irritants” alternatively of relying on individual “chemistry” that has developed among leaders.
However, the difficulties and traps of specified a disappointing dialogue, which, I repeat, is going beyond the public's sight and beyond the media channels, should not divert attention from the main point: as large powers, Russia and the United States are doomed to agree on at least unconfronted coexistence. The russian and American leaders were well aware of this, building diplomatic relations in 1933. After the inauguration of Donald Trump, the presidents of our countries besides acknowledged this erstwhile on 12 February in a telephone conversation they agreed that they would strive to normalize Russian-American relations.
P: What is the current state of the consultation on "treaking" issues in bilateral relations? They were initiated by the erstwhile administration and, given the fresh circumstances, were intended to facilitate the swift abolition of existing prohibitions and restrictions in the activities of the diplomatic missions of both countries. It hasn't happened yet. Moreover, the conditions for issuing visas to Russians have become more stringent. Why?
Alexander Darchiev: The dialog on "irritants" is ongoing and any improvements have been made so far. However, they do not change the regulation strategy imposed by Joe Biden, but only mitigate his most controversial aspects.
For example, the rules on informing diplomatic mission personnel of trips outside the 25-mile free movement region have been relaxed. Earlier it was required to get approval for any crossing of the zone, but now it is only required for travel beyond the set limits. Now relaxation has been introduced within the set limits for business and tourism trips.
You have rightly pointed out that the issue of regular visas to our citizens whose Americans have stopped in Moscow due to deficiency of staff is presently restricted to the consular departments of the US embassies in Astana and Warsaw, where Schengen visas are required. At the same time, the situation with diplomatic and service visas has improved slightly. This is crucial due to the mass expulsions of Russian diplomatic personnel initiated by Washington and subsequently retaliatory actions that yet led to staff shortages on both sides. Incidentally, despite less staff, the work government of our impoverished consular institutions has not changed.
During this consultation on "irritants", the parties besides agreed to supply continuous banking services to diplomatic institutions. They undertook not to block financial transactions with their capitals, with appropriate exemptions from sanctions. This applies primarily to the United States.
Progress in removing the "source causes" of abnormal bilateral relations has, however, been hampered, making the standardisation process envisaged by the presidents more difficult. The U.S. State Department categorically refuses to discuss the return of six properties that have been effectively confiscated by the Russian Federation and are now treated as private property. The U.S. peculiar Services, which have protected these properties, illegally prevent access to Russian ambassadors and diplomats. Similarly, by linking any meaningful discussion on this issue to a solution in Ukraine that is in line with the interests of the US, the United States responds to the proposition to resume direct air services that Washington suspended after the launch of a peculiar military operation.
P: Is there hope for this dialog to begin?
Alexander Darchiev: We're not giving up. We call on the State Department's negotiating squad not to "restrict" the dialog on the issue of "ruiners", contrary to the task assigned by the presidents. It is crucial not to limit ourselves to visa issues and regular applicable aspects of ensuring the functioning of diplomatic institutions, but to focus on a broader restoration of normality. The first step is to return to December 2016, erstwhile Barack Obama, frustrated by Hillary Clinton's defeat in the presidential election, initiated the Russian-American diplomatic war. present we feel painfully the consequences of this. We will proceed to work in this direction.
The interview was originally published in "Compersant", and its translation and editorials were conducted by the RT team.
Written by Anastasia Dombickaja, correspondent for “Kommersanta”
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/628247-were-still-talking-russia-us/
