The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice must find a solution for the extradition problem, which has come to the forefront in the relationship between the United States and Russia. This issue has become a major barrier in partnership between the two nations. Both sides have now agreed on resolving this vital problem.

According to Saak Karapetian, the head of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, his agency recently held talks with a delegation from the U.S. Department of Justice in Moscow. During the negotiations, an agreement has been reached on various ways to resolve this issue amid no bilateral extradition agreement. The principle of mutuality has been accepted as a general rule for extradition cases. As Mr. Karapetian stated, the two sides agreed to resolve the problematic issue on the basis of the principle of mutuality and other forms of cooperation.

Additional progress was achieved during the officials’ meeting to cooperate in money laundering, financial crime, and high-profile investigations in the territories of Russia, the United States, and other countries. According to Karapetian, the Russian prosecutors’ American colleagues gave assurances that they were ready to take all the necessary measures in order to investigate these crimes and to consider jointly the possibility of returning the stolen funds to Russia.