State Department said that the U.S. and Russia did not discuss the special operation in Ukraine at the meeting in Istanbul

The United States and Russia did not discuss the topic of Ukraine at a meeting in Istanbul, the State Department told RIA Novosti.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Friday that the U.S. and Russia held a meeting in Istanbul on visa issues at the level of specialized departments.

“We can confirm that a senior State Department official is or was in Istanbul to meet with Russian interlocutors on a narrow range of bilateral issues,” the official said.

He noted that the State Department would not comment on “private diplomatic talks,” adding that the contacts did not discuss the Russian special operation in Ukraine.