New Delhi: (Web Desk) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his American counterpart Antony Blanken met for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
According to foreign media, a senior American official says that the two leaders had a 10-minute conversation on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi, the Indian capital.
During his briefing, Antony Blanken said that during the meeting I said to the Russian Foreign Minister what we and many others said during the UN meeting last week or what the foreign ministers participating in the G20 summit said to him. They are saying to end the ongoing war in Ukraine because lasting peace is possible only through purposeful diplomacy.
He said that during the meeting he has urged the Russian Foreign Minister to restore the New Start Treaty as canceling the agreement is an irresponsible act.
A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the meeting between the two leaders but declined to give details of the meeting.
On the other hand, during the ongoing G20 summit in India, the US Secretary of State also met with various diplomats to get support on the Ukraine issue.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Minister accused Western countries of pressuring neutral countries to condemn Russia.
He said that efforts are being made by the West to drag everyone in every issue.
It may be recalled that the last time the two leaders met was in January 2022 in Geneva.