WASHINGTON, March 27 (V7N) — Russian lawmakers held rare talks with members of the US Congress on Thursday, marking the first such in several years amid strained relations between the two countries.

Five members of Russia’s parliament, the State Duma, met with a bipartisan group of US lawmakers to discuss peace efforts and bilateral relations, according to Anna Paulina Luna.

“As representatives of the world’s two greatest nuclear superpowers, we owe our citizens open dialogue and communication,” Luna said, expressing support for continued engagement.

The meeting took place at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington and included members of the Russian delegation alongside US representatives. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev described the اللقاء as “historic.”

The visit comes at a time when US-brokered negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine remain stalled. Despite multiple rounds of talks since the return of Donald Trump to the White House, no breakthrough has been achieved, with Moscow maintaining a firm stance on its ongoing offensive.

The Kremlin welcomed the dialogue, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressing hope that the talks would help revive bilateral relations between Washington and Moscow.

Among the Russian delegation were senior figures including Leonid Slutsky, Deputy Speaker Boris Chernyshov, and lawmakers Vyacheslav Nikonov and Svetlana Zhurova — all known to support the Kremlin’s policies.

Peskov added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had outlined key directives for the visit and would be fully briefed following the delegation’s return.

The development is seen as a tentative step toward reopening communication channels between the two global powers despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.

END/WD/RH