Delegations from the United States and Russia convened in Istanbul on Thursday for a second round of bilateral talks aimed at improving the operations of diplomatic missions and resolving procedural hurdles between the two countries.

The Russian delegation was led by Alexander Darcheyev, Russia’s Ambassador to Washington, while the U.S. side was headed by Sonata Coulter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia and Central Europe. The meeting took place at the Russian Consulate General at 9:45 a.m. local time.

According to the U.S. State Department, the discussions were strictly focused on facilitating the functioning of embassies and consulates, and were unrelated to the war in Ukraine.

This marks the second such meeting following a similar round held in February, as both parties seek to resolve outstanding issues related to visa processing, diplomatic travel, and access to diplomatic properties.

The talks come amid strained U.S.-Russia relations, which have deeply impacted diplomatic presence and personnel exchanges in recent years.