Live Updates: Blinken and Lavrov Meet For the First Time Since Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine -- (edited)
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Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia briefly spoke one on one during a Group of 20 summit. The unexpected meeting signaled that the Biden administration hopes to keep talking with Moscow despite being on opposing sides of the war.
Here are the latest developments.
The top diplomats from the United States and Russia spoke face-to-face on Thursday for the first time since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, a brief meeting on the sidelines of a meeting of envoys from the Group of 20 nations that has been dominated by tensions over the war.
The meeting between Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov was unexpected, and came as the Russian government used the G20 meeting to lash out at calls to end its invasion, accusing Western nations of “blackmail and threats.”
With Russia’s war now in its second year, many nations are growing more anxious about its economic effects, especially on food and energy prices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who has avoided direct criticism of Russia’s invasion, said in a video message to the G20 meeting that while he understood that current “geopolitical tensions” would be a topic of discussion, he also hoped that diplomats would focus on other global crises.
Here is what to know:
Mr. Blinken made three points to Mr. Lavrov, a senior State Department official told reporters: that the United States would continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia “for as long as it takes”; that Russia should rejoin the New START nuclear arms control treaty from which it recently withdrew and abide by the terms; and that Russia should release Paul Whelan, an imprisoned American citizen.
Mr. Blinken requested the meeting with Mr. Lavrov, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, which suggests that the Biden administration wants to keep lines of communication open with Russia despite being on opposing sides of the war in Ukraine.
Earlier on Thursday at the G20 meeting, Mr. Blinken sought to rally greater support for Kyiv as it tries to defend against attempts by Moscow to launch a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine. In separate remarks to the United Nations Human Rights Council, he condemned Russia for committing war crimes in Ukraine and for the “systematic muzzling” of critics at home.
Mr. Lavrov said the G20 meeting, which ends Thursday, would not produce a joint statement because of disagreements over the war. He accused Western nations for provoking the conflict and fueling it by arming Ukraine.
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Edward Wong
March 2, 2023, 10:09 a.m. ET1 minute ago
1 minute ago
Edward WongReporting from New Delhi
Blinken ends the news conference by responding to a question from a reporter about whether he thought the leaders of the G20 nations might fail to issue a consensus communiqué when they meet in India later this year. “I don’t want to spoil the show,” Blinken said. “We’ll let the leaders do their work and show the results.”
Edward Wong
March 2, 2023, 9:57 a.m. ET13 minutes ago
13 minutes ago
Edward WongReporting from New Delhi
Blinken said U.S. allies and partner nations have raised concerns with China’s diplomats here in Delhi about Chinese leaders considering giving weapons to Russia for its war. “We have sanctions authorities of various kinds,” he said, referring to what the U.S. and allies and partners would impose on China if they found it giving weapons to Russia.
March 2, 2023, 9:49 a.m. ET28 minutes ago
28 minutes ago
Edward WongReporting from New Delhi
Blinken listed more than a half-dozen countries whose foreign ministers he met with today on the sidelines of the G20. He notably did not mention Russia. He obviously did meet with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, but did not appear to want to rank that meeting at the same level with the others.
Edward Wong
March 2, 2023, 9:50 a.m. ET26 minutes ago
26 minutes ago
Edward WongReporting from New Delhi
Blinken said he met with Lavrov. He said he asked that Russia return to the New START nuclear arms control treaty and release Paul Whelan, an imprisoned American citizens. He said he also told Lavrov that Russia must end its “war of aggression” in Ukraine.
Edward Wong
March 2, 2023, 9:46 a.m. ET31 minutes ago
31 minutes ago
Edward WongReporting from New Delhi
Blinken begins the news conference by noting that most of the G20 member nations have stood together in condemning Russia’s war on Ukraine. None of them joined Russia in voting against the most recent United Nations resolution on the war, he said. And he pointed out that the chairman’s statement, issued today, reaffirmed a declaration reached in Bali last year in which the members said most of them denounced the war. China and Russia were the holdouts.
Edward Wong
March 2, 2023, 9:40 a.m. ET36 minutes ago
36 minutes ago
Edward WongReporting from New Delhi
Blinken is about to start a news conference at the G20 meeting in New Delhi.
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