(CLO) Russian negotiators have asked the US side to consider reopening airspace to Russian aircraft and restoring direct flights between the two countries, according to an announcement from the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday.
Flights between Russia and the US were suspended shortly after Russia launched its attack on Ukraine in February 2022.
St. Petersburg Airport, Russia. Photo: Espino Family
The request was made during a bilateral meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Thursday, where the two sides discussed issues related to diplomatic activity, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. In an official statement, Russia said the talks focused on "ways to overcome problems left over from previous US administrations."
After Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine’s allies, including the United States, Canada, the European Union (EU), and several other Western countries, banned Russian aircraft from their airspace. In response, Russia closed its airspace to dozens of countries, although most Western airlines had already stopped flying over Russian airspace by that time.
The airspace restrictions have had a significant impact on the global aviation industry. Many Western airlines have had to reroute their flights, resulting in longer flight times from Europe to Asia as they have to avoid Russian airspace. In turn, Russian airlines have had difficulty reaching many international destinations.
In addition, sanctions and diplomatic tensions have severely disrupted aviation cooperation between Russia and the West, including the supply of aircraft spare parts and technical maintenance. This directly affects the Russian aviation industry, which is heavily dependent on Western-made aircraft.
Cao Phong (according to CNN, TASS)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-de-nghi-noi-lai-cac-chuyen-bay-truc-tiep-voi-my-post336672.html
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