The Trump administration is in talks with Moscow about the possible readmission of numerous Russian diplomats into the United States, after years of diplomatic expulsions. This gesture is seen as a way to improve goodwill, but experts warn it could also be a ‘Trojan horse’ as Russia may dispatch spies posing as diplomats to restore its espionage capabilities within the United States. Diplomatic talks have taken place in Istanbul and Riyadh, as part of a rapid rapprochement between the Kremlin and the White House under President Trump. The normalization of diplomatic operations could also enable the United States to conduct espionage activities of its own. However, there are concerns about Trump’s courting of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the potential benefits this could give to the Kremlin’s espionage apparatus, at a time when Moscow’s operations against the West have become more aggressive. The expansion of diplomatic ranks could give Russia an advantage, as Moscow is known to aggressively place intelligence operatives under diplomatic cover. Meanwhile, Russia’s intelligence services have grown more brazen in their operations against the West, including plots to sabotage cargo planes and assassinate the CEO of a German arms maker. The diplomatic footprint of Russia in the United States has shrunk significantly due to previous U.S. actions against Russian intelligence operatives working under diplomatic cover. This has affected routine diplomatic work such as visa processing and assistance to traveling citizens. The increase in diplomatic ranks could help to reestablish the functionality of respective diplomatic missions, but there are also concerns about President Trump’s disruption of the federal workforce potentially benefiting the Kremlin’s intelligence operations.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/09/us/politics/russia-spies-diplomats.html