In brief
At a Moscow press briefing on Nov. 6, 2026, Maria Zakharova said that despite meetings between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russia had seen no meaningful advance in normalizing relations with the United States. She highlighted that tangible results—such as the return of confiscated diplomatic property and direct flight service—remain unmet and that dialogue has continued in a business‑like manner. The briefing underscored open questions about why progress has stalled and what future steps, if any, might be taken by either side.
In a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2026, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced that Russia had made no substantive progress toward normalizing relations with the United States. She said that despite ongoing dialogue, clear outcomes such as the return of confiscated diplomatic property and the resumption of direct flights between Moscow and Washington had not materialized.
The spokesperson noted that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had discussed bilateral issues and areas of cooperation within multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations, the Group of Twenty and the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. However, she emphasized that “no tangible progress has been achieved,” underscoring that negotiations have stalled on concrete points of action.
Zakharova added that dialogue with the United States at various levels had continued in a generally business‑like manner, suggesting a willingness on both sides to keep communication channels open even while stalling on substantive agreements.
"No substantive progress had been made toward normalizing relations with the United States," she said.
The spokesperson quoted Xinhua’s report on the briefing, underlining that while multilateral forums provide a setting for discussion, they have not translated into concrete steps such as returning confiscated diplomatic property to Russia or reinstating direct commercial flights between the two capitals.
Open questions remain as to why these tangible outcomes have not been realized. Within the same briefing, Zakharova did not provide further details on the status of confiscated property or the timeline for resuming direct flight services. The lack of progress has raised concerns among analysts who view the return of property and restoration of direct flights as signposts for a thaw in U.S.–Russia relations.
Future steps are unclear. The statement conveyed that both governments continue to engage in dialogue, but the lack of progress on key issues indicates that, at least as of the briefing, no concrete policy moves were forthcoming. Whether either side will adjust its approach or pursue new mechanisms for advancing substantive agreements remains to be seen.
In summary, Zakharova’s remarks reaffirm Russia’s position that its relationship with the United States remains in a stand‑still state. While dialogue persists, the failure to achieve concrete outcomes such as property restitution and direct flight services underscores the challenges facing the restoration of normal diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.
