Dot and maps: Russia and the USA choose a place for a meeting of parliamentarians
Moscow and Washington are looking for a platform for dialogue between parliamentarians. The State Duma told Izvestia that the American side had offered to hold a meeting in one of the Latin American countries, but Russia considered this option unsafe. They clarified that proposals were considered on neutral territory, but none of the options turned out to be acceptable to both sides. At the same time, the meeting may take place as early as next year. The talks are scheduled to discuss the Ukrainian crisis and issues of strategic stability. The initiative of the interparliamentary contact, supported by the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation Kirill Dmitriev and a number of American congressmen, is considered as a possible step towards restarting the dialogue between the two countries against the background of a new round of sanctions and Washington's statements about nuclear tests.
Negotiations are at a preliminary stage
Preparations for the upcoming meeting of deputies of the State Duma and the House of Representatives of the US Congress are underway, and possible options for holding the meeting are being considered. Alexey Chepa, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, told Izvestia about this. According to him, the composition of the American delegation is partially known, and it is highly likely that Anna Paulina Luna, a member of the US House of Representatives from the Republican Party, will participate.
— Initially, the American side proposed to hold a meeting in one of the Latin American countries. It's not exactly safe. No one guaranteed the absence of interference from third countries, the disruption of this meeting and the creation of technical problems and security guarantees, primarily for Russian deputies. Therefore, it was suggested to wait to work out a more reliable location and organization. It is better to observe a certain mode of silence. In principle, preparations are underway," said Chepa.
Alexey Chepa, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs
He noted that the priority is given to those topics that are most "explosive" today, primarily the Ukrainian crisis. He added: Russian parliamentarians are ready to discuss security issues, as well as the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms.
Kirill Dmitriev, the special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation, stressed after a meeting with Congresswoman Luna on October 26 that contacts with her were very important because "this is an example of people who advocate dialogue with Russia and want to understand the Russian position."
Kirill Dmitriev, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, and Anna Paulina Luna, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, during a meeting in Miami
Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the State Duma's International Affairs committee, told Izvestia that negotiations on a meeting between Russian deputies and members of the U.S. House of Representatives are still at a preliminary stage. According to him, various site options are currently being probed, but no final agreements have been reached on the location and time.
— So far it is clear that it should be a third country, several options have been mentioned in the order of brainstorming, but all of them are considered unsuccessful for one state or another, — Dmitry Novikov explained to Izvestia.
According to the parliamentarian, the probability of holding such a meeting before the end of the year is low, since the schedules and holiday periods in Russia and the United States differ significantly. He suggested that the negotiations, if they take place, could take place as early as early next year.
Sanctions against deputies
Russia has historically faced difficulties in establishing close contacts with American congressmen, Andrei Baklanov, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Russian Diplomats and Professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, told Izvestia.
— Through the Federation Council and the State Duma, we have repeatedly explored the possibility of establishing closer partnerships. But it seemed that opinions were mixed there, and the line of limiting ties more often won," the expert noted.
Baklanov added that the American side did not show much interest in receiving information directly from Russian lawmakers and sent less significant congressmen as partners, reflecting limited interest in a substantive dialogue.
— Americans are not very interested in receiving objective first-hand information, that is, from us, even at the level of the US Congress. The potential of bilateral cooperation remains unrealized. For effective contact, it is necessary that the American side is guided by the official statements of the Russian authorities, and not by distorted interpretations in the media," the expert noted.
Andrei Baklanov also drew attention to the existing restrictions and sanctions against Russian delegations, noting that their presence complicates work with the American legislature. He stressed that the lifting of such restrictions could be a prerequisite for the normalization of parliamentary contacts and a more constructive dialogue.
"From the point of view of security and prestige, neutral countries that are not outright opponents of Russia could become optimal venues for a meeting between Russian and American parliamentarians," political scientist Bogdan Bezpalko, a member of the Presidential Council on Interethnic Relations, told Izvestia.
In his opinion, it could be the states of Southeast Asia, China, but the visit of the American delegation there is unlikely. The expert named the Persian Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as Turkey and Belarus, among the possible sites, although the latter may not suit the American side due to the close ties between Moscow and Minsk.
U.S.-Russian relations
Against the background of preparations for the interparliamentary meeting between Russia and the United States, the situation in Ukraine remains one of the key factors of international tension. Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Kyslytsa said that Kiev had officially suspended peace talks with Moscow, noting that the dialogue had not made significant progress over the current year.
In October, for the first time in a year, the US administration imposed new sanctions against Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil and 34 of their subsidiaries. At the end of October, Donald Trump ordered the resumption of nuclear weapons tests, explaining the decision by allegedly testing programs from Russia and China.
In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, special services and civilian departments to prepare proposals on the possible start of work on preparations for nuclear weapons tests. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov then stressed that it was not a question of starting such work, but only of assessing the feasibility of their preparation. The Kremlin noted that Russia is ready for adequate measures in the event of a resumption of US tests.
Mikhail Ulyanov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to International Organizations in Vienna, called on the United States to provide clear and detailed explanations of its position. He noted that the Americans' desire can be "easily realized," but it is important to maintain transparency and predictability of actions.
German political analyst Alexander Rahr told Izvestia that Donald Trump's actions should now be viewed as a show of force and preparation for negotiations, rather than as a direct military threat. According to him, Trump is building up his potential and showing "his cards" in order to create negotiating levers and force the Russian side to take his position into account. Rahr stressed that this is a typical strategy of diplomatic bargaining: the American president demonstrates a willingness to compromise, but at the same time strengthens his own position.
— Unlike Europe, which is really preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia, the United States is not planning military action, but is acting primarily within the framework of political pressure and economic instruments. The sanctions imposed by the Trump administration are more of a trade nature and are not aimed at destroying the Russian economy, the expert believes.
Rahr added that the politics of both sides is a complex diplomatic game, during which Russia is also strengthening its position. He expressed confidence that the current dynamics in relations will facilitate negotiations and the search for compromises.
The upcoming meeting of Russian and American parliamentarians will be an important indicator of the readiness of both countries for direct dialogue against the backdrop of a difficult international situation. Since the beginning of 2025, relations between Moscow and Washington have changed markedly. In particular, the United States temporarily suspended military assistance and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, accusing Kiev of lacking commitment to "any peaceful settlement process."
The American administration has also questioned Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO, demanding "readiness for difficult decisions," which many experts interpret as a potential recognition of new territorial realities. Thus, the expected meeting may become not only a formal contact between parliamentarians, but also an indicator of whether Moscow and Washington are ready for a direct and frank exchange of views amid increasing international tensions.
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