US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced today that he had a “frank” conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who pressed him to accept a US offer to secure the release of American prisoners in Russia.
“We had a frank and direct discussion,” the US minister said during a press conference. “I called on the Kremlin to accept the substantial proposal we made to them.”
Blinken clarified that he warned Lavrov that the world will “never” recognize the annexation of Ukrainian territories to the Russian Federation if Moscow goes ahead with such plans.
Blinken had announced on Wednesday that he intended to have a meeting with Lavrov to discuss a US proposal to release basketball player Brittney Griner and ex-Marine Paul Whelan.
It may be a swap with Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer jailed in the US, according to reports.
The head of US diplomacy also said he told his Russian counterpart that the world expects Russia to fulfill its commitments under the Ukrainian grain deal.
Source: Capital
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