Russia has asked the United States to reopen its airspace to Russian aircraft and to bring back direct flights between the two countries. This request was made during a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, according to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The talks focused on improving diplomatic relations. The Russian ministry pointed out the need to address various “irritants” left over from previous US administrations. They stressed the importance of concrete actions to enhance the relationship for the benefit of both nations.
Specifically, Russia wants the US to consider restoring direct air travel. This request comes after significant changes in air traffic between the two countries since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several countries, including the US, Canada, and EU nations, banned Russian planes from their skies. Russia retaliated by closing its airspace to many of these countries. By then, most Western airlines had already stopped flying over Russia.
After the Istanbul meeting, the US stated that the discussions were productive but did not confirm the specific request about direct flights.
