Russia demands US return seized mansions

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Russia has been pressing demands that the US give it access to two diplomatic compounds seized in the US last year.</span><br></p><p>After high-level talks between both sides, one Russian official involved said the row had "almost" been resolved.</p><p>Russia has been angered by the move, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling it "daylight robbery".</p><p>In December the US expelled 35 Russian diplomats and shut the compounds over suspicions of meddling in US elections.</p><p>The talks saw US Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon host Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in Washington yesterday.</p><p>Ryabkov sounded positive after three hours of talks with the American diplomat.</p><div><br></div>