Russian Lawmakers Meet US Congress in Washington

A delegation of Russian lawmakers arrived in Washington on Thursday to meet with members of the US Congress, marking the first in-person parliamentary dialogue between the two nations since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The talks, involving representatives from both Republican and Democratic parties, aim to present Moscow's positions and lay groundwork for future exchanges, according to Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Boris Chernyshov, who is participating in the meetings.

The Russian group, led by Vyacheslav Nikonov, deputy chairman of the Duma's International Affairs Committee and a member of the ruling United Russia party, includes lawmakers from several parliamentary factions, such as Chernyshov of the Liberal Democratic Party and Svetlana Zhurova, a former Olympian and United Russia member. All participants face US sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which halted formal legislative contacts and high-level visits. The delegation met with President Vladimir Putin before departing to receive foreign policy guidelines, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We hope that these first tentative steps will, of course, make...