The US and Russia started talks in Istanbul to restore diplomatic staff in each other’s countries, Russian state news service Tass reported, a step by President Donald Trump to ease years of strained ties.

But exactly how he’d do so is a bit of a mystery. “I would advocate for bold recruitment and retention reforms, cutting bureaucratic red tape and improving quality of life initiatives to attract and retain top talent,

Russian and U.S. teams held six hours of talks in Turkey on Thursday to try to restore normal functioning of their embassies, and Vladimir Putin said initial contacts with Donald Trump's new administration had inspired hope.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that delegations from Russia and the US will meet in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss restoring the functioning of their embassies.

Turkeys Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will reiterate Ankaras willingness to mediate Ukraine-Russia peace talks at a European leaders meeting in London on Sunday, a Turkish diplomatic source confirmed.

In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan pose for a photo during their meeting in

Russia said on Friday it had suggested restoring direct air links with the United States at what it described as "substantive and businesslike" talks in Turkey.

Russian and U.S. teams held six hours of talks in Turkey on Thursday to try to restore the normal functioning of their embassies, and President Vladimir Putin said initial contacts with Donald Trump's new administration had inspired hope.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it has suggested restoring direct air links between Russia and the United States during the latest round of consultations with Washington.