The head of US diplomacy Anthony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are meeting today, for the first time, on the sidelines of the Arctic Council meeting at the level of foreign ministers, which is being organized in Iceland, the State Department spokesman announced.
“The bilateral meeting will take place after the afternoon event of the Arctic Council and will provide an opportunity to test the idea that we can build a more stable and predictable relationship with Moscow,” said Ned Price, a State Department spokesman. in a press release issued.
According to the Russian Foreign Minister, the first face-to-face meeting of Messrs. Lavrov and Blinken will be made to discuss “Key issues in bilateral relations and the international agenda”.
One of the issues that is expected to be raised is the possible meeting of the presidents of the two states, the Joe Biden and his Vladimir Putin. Mr Biden has suggested that the summit could be held in a third country on the sidelines of an international summit. It is unclear whether Mr Putin will accept the invitation.
Joe Biden will make his first trip abroad next month, when he plans to attend the G7 summit in Britain and then the NATO summit in Belgium. In Brussels, the US president will also have contacts with top EU officials.
US-Russia relations have reached their worst point since the Cold War, following a series of accusations by Washington against Moscow over Russian interference in the US election, cyber-attacks, and the treatment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Ukraine, etc. The two sides have exchanged several rounds of sanctions and retaliation.

Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.