U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meet on March 2 at the New Dehli G20 summit for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to CNN, their meeting lasted only ten minutes, during which Blinken stressed once again that the U.S. will continue supporting Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”
“I told the foreign minister that, no matter what else is happening in the world or in our relationship, the United States will always be ready to engage and act on strategic arms control, just as the United States and the Soviet Union did even at the height of the Cold War,” said Blinken.
Blinken added the U.S. “has put forward a serious proposal” to Moscow regarding American citizen Paul Whelan imprisoned by Russia.
“I also raised the wrongful detention of Paul Whelan as I have on many previous occasions. The United States has put forward a serious proposal. Moscow should accept it," he said.
Blinken also pointed out that the U.S. is concerned about China possibly providing weapons to Russia. “This is a shared concern … And many other partners have raised this and not just raised this with us, but it’s my understanding have raised it directly with China, including here today in Delhi,” Blinken added.
At the G20 summit, foreign ministers failed to reach a consensus on joint condemnation of Russia's war. Blinken stated that the meeting “has again been marred by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine, deliberate campaign of destruction against civilian targets, and its attack on the core principles of the UN Charter.”
Prior, Lavrov and Blinken held their first phone call after more than six months of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Jul. 23, where they discussed the global food crisis.
