Russia and the US agree to restore embassy staffing: visa issuance in Moscow may resume

Russia and the US have reached an agreement to restore staffing levels at their diplomatic missions in Moscow and Washington. Talks on the matter took place in Riyadh, involving representatives of Russia's Foreign Ministry, the Russian presidential administration, and the leadership of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. On the US side, the dialogue involved Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff.

According to the Associated Press, the two sides agreed on the need to restore full operational capacity at their embassies, which would help strengthen diplomatic channels of communication. According to Marco Rubio, reduced staffing at the diplomatic missions significantly limits the scope for engagement between the two countries, making it necessary to increase their numbers.

Specific timelines and details for implementing this agreement have not yet been disclosed, but consultations on the matter will continue. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that diplomatic contacts between the two countries will become regular, and that negotiating teams will begin work once fully formed.

It has also emerged that Richard Norland, the US special envoy for Libya, is being considered for the post of US ambassador to Moscow. Restoring staffing levels at the diplomatic missions could be an important step toward stabilising relations between the two countries, given how significantly they have been cut in recent years: while the US embassy in Russia employed 1,200 staff in 2016, that number had fallen to 120 by 2021 due to imposed restrictions.

Importantly, restoring staffing at the US embassy in Moscow could pave the way for resuming full operation of its visa department. This, in turn, could expand opportunities for obtaining US visas in Russia, which is especially relevant for both travel and business trips.