ISTANBUL

The Kremlin said on Thursday that an expected visit by Russian lawmakers to the US will contribute to further reviving the bilateral relations, which deteriorated with the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022.

“This is a much-needed dialogue, a crucial area of ​​dialogue between the two countries, which had also been completely frozen,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a press briefing in Moscow.

“We hope that these first, tentative steps will certainly contribute to the further revival of our bilateral relations,” Peskov added.

The spokesman’s remarks come a day after Alexey Chepa, a lawmaker of the country’s lower house of parliament, told the Interfax news agency that a group of State Duma deputies are planning to visit the US.

Chepa said “about four to five” lawmakers would make the travel, adding that several details related to obtaining guarantees “remain to be clarified” as those who will travel are under sanctions.

He did not specify who will be part of the delegation, though Interfax reported that it will be headed by lawmaker Vyacheslav Nikonov.

The news agency reported later in the day that an airplane believed to be carrying the State Duma delegation landed in New York.

Ukraine war

Peskov also spoke about the situation regarding a peace settlement for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, saying the main issues of critical interest to Moscow have yet to be agreed upon despite peace talks that were held.

“Issues like territorial ones are the main topic of discussion. There has been no progress on them,” Peskov said.

He stated a lack of progress on a settlement does not mean that Russia is losing interest in negotiations, and that Moscow looks forward to holding the next round of negotiations “as soon as circumstances allow.”

He also denied a report by The New York Times from a day earlier, describing the report as “absolutely false fabrications that do not correspond to reality.”

On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that while there were signs in February that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be “seeking an exit” from the Ukraine war, the recent escalations regarding the Middle East have halted the prospects for ending the conflict.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have confirmed a pause in peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war earlier this month due to the ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East.

The pause came as Moscow and Kyiv held three rounds of trilateral talks under US mediation on Jan 23-24, Feb 4-5, and Feb 17-18. The first two were in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, while the third took place in Geneva, Switzerland.