The purpose of the talks is to stabilize relations between the two countries, which is the worst in many years. But in both capitals, expectations are subdued, and no concrete results of any kind are expected.
The most important issue on the agenda is disarmament. Earlier this year, the United States and Russia agreed to extend the New Start agreement, which regulates the countries’ nuclear arsenals.
Biden and Putin met in Geneva in June for the first time since Biden was elected president.
The US delegation is led by Deputy Foreign Minister Wendy Sherman, and on the Russian side, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov is speaking. The conversations take place behind closed doors, and there is no media present.
The Americans have posted two pictures of the Deputy Foreign Ministers, one showing the two with bandages as they greet with their elbows.
“Through this dialogue, we hope to form the basis for future measures in areas such as disarmament and risk control,” said a brief statement from the State Department in Washington.
Ryabkov told Russian media on Tuesday that the talks would make it possible to get an impression of how strongly the United States wants to establish a “targeted, energetic dialogue on strategic stability”.
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