US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a brief meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in New Delhi. This was reported by a State Department official quoted on the New York Times website. This was the first encounter between the two since Russia began invading Ukraine more than a year ago. During the talks, Blinken reiterated to Lavrov that the United States would continue to support Ukraine “for as long as necessary” in its defense against Russia, according to the official. The foreign minister then urged Moscow to continue its participation in the New Start nuclear arms control agreement and demanded the release of US citizen Paul Whelan.
But on the Russian side, the “dual” was initially completely rejected. Then came the statement of Maria Zakharova, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To the Tass agency, who explained that the two spoke “on the go” at the second session of the G20 foreign ministers meeting in India; therefore – according to Russian sources – the two would talk to each other but “no negotiations”.
While responding to Italian journalists who questioned him at a press conference held within the framework of the G20 foreign ministers, Lavrov expressed his respect for Silvio Berlusconi. “We hear the evaluations and statements of many international leaders and experienced politicians. It is obvious that Silvio Berlusconi is one of them.” The leader of Forza Italia, a Kremlin diplomat, said that he is “a reasonable man who does not try to paint everything in black and white, who does not try to increase tensions in the world under the slogan of the struggle of democracy against autocracy.” Lavrov said Berlusconi “understands that we must solve the problems on which our lives depend.”
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
