MOSCOW, March 26 (Reuters) - A delegation of Russian lawmakers has arrived in the United States for meetings with U.S. lawmakers, Russian media said, on the first such trip since relations between the
Russian Lawmakers Arrive in USA for First High-Level Talks Since Ukraine War
Overview of Russian Lawmakers' Visit to the United States
MOSCOW, March 26 (Reuters) - A delegation of Russian lawmakers has arrived in the United States for meetings with U.S. lawmakers, Russian media said, on the first such trip since relations between the world's two biggest nuclear powers hit rock bottom over the war in Ukraine.
Background: Deterioration and Recent Improvement in U.S.-Russia Relations
After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian officials said relations with Washington were worse than at any time in living memory. Ties have improved since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and sought to end the war.
Details of the Delegation and Meetings
Key Figures in the Russian Delegation
The lawmakers' visit to the United States, first reported by Russia's Vedomosti newspaper, includes Vyacheslav Nikonov, a lawmaker who is the grandson of Josef Stalin's foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, according to Russian media reports.
Schedule of Meetings
The Izvestia newspaper cited the U.S. embassy in Moscow as saying Russian lawmakers would meet U.S. lawmakers on Thursday and then meet U.S. officials on Friday.
Purpose and Significance of the Visit
The visit is "part of the normalisation of relations with the United States of America," Alexei Chepa, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, told Izvestia.
Travel Arrangements and Confirmation
Russian media reported that a special Russian flight had landed in Washington - and that the Russian lawmakers were believed to be on the flight. Reuters was unable to immediately confirm the reports.
Reactions and Implications
U.S. Congressional Involvement
Republican U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna said in January that she had received authorisation from the State Department for four Russian lawmakers to meet members of Congress.
International Response
Closer ties between Washington and Moscow are a concern for Ukraine and its European backers, but have been welcomed by the Kremlin.
Ukraine Peace Deal and Security Guarantees
The U.S. is making an offer of security guarantees for a peace deal in Ukraine conditional on Kyiv ceding all of the eastern region of Donbas to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Reuters in an interview.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
