Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been urged to “stop the war of aggression” on Ukraine by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The comments are the first ones Mr. Blinken has made to Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, in person since the war began a year ago.
According to Mr. Blinken, the two had a brief encounter outside of the G20 meeting in Mumbai.
He brought up Paul Whelan’s case as well, an American who is being held in Russia.
In the brief meeting, Mr. Blinken called Russia’s recent withdrawal from the New START nuclear arms control deal a “irresponsible action” and urged Moscow to re-join.
The conversation in Delhi, according to a senior State Department official, was over in less than 10 minutes.
According to the person, Mr. Blinken “disabused” Mr. Lavrov of any notion that US support for Ukraine is waning.
The official’s and Mr. Blinken’s comments to Mr. Lavrov’s response were silent. But, the insider claimed that there was currently no sign that Russia would soon reverse its approach.
Ukraine-related animosities rule the G20 negotiations.
Although Mr. Blinken had requested a conversation with Mr. Lavrov, the Russian foreign ministry made no mention of the conversation.
The two last spoke in Geneva on January 2022.
Earlier during the Delhi meeting, Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Blinken both made statements regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
On Thursday, Mr. Lavrov charged that the West was attempting to persuade neutral nations to oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He declared, “The West keeps trying to force everyone and everything.
According to reports, Mr. Blinken met with senior diplomats during the meeting in Delhi to advocate for Ukraine. On Thursday morning, Mr. Blinken reiterated his opposition to the war in a private group meeting.
According to a version of his speech provided to reporters by the US State Department, Obama stated, “We must continue to call on Russia to halt its campaign of aggression and withdraw from Ukraine for the sake of international peace and economic stability.
He continued, “Unfortunately, Russia’s unilateral and unlawful aggression against Ukraine has once again tarnished our gathering.
Later that day, via video conference, Mr. Blinken reiterated his denunciation to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Mr. Blinken stated that Russia should “engage in real diplomacy that can generate a just and enduring peace” at a news conference on Thursday in Delhi. Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, “has exhibited zero interest in engaging,” he continued.
The G20, which consists of the European Union and the world’s 19 richest countries, generates 85% of the world’s economic output and two-thirds of its population.
