New Delhi: In an unprecedented move since the Russia-Ukraine war began on February 24, 2022, Washington and Moscow sought to thrash out every issue concerning the ongoing Ukraine war in New Delhi. This happened when US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the margins of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting on Thursday.
"Every country continues to bear the cost of Russia’s war on aggression. United States has worked hard to prevent it," Blinken said addressing a media briefing.
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin has “weaponised hunger” of people across the globe and that he “intentionally” has deepened the food and energy crisis.
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“I met Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov briefly today on the margins of the G20. I urged Russia to reverse its irresponsible decision and return to implementing a new start treaty which places verifiable limits on nuclear arsenals of United States and the Russian Federation,” he highlighted.
Blinken also said “mutual compliance is in the interest of both of our countries. That’s also what people expect from us as nuclear powers.”
Blinken has also told Lavrov that US will “always be ready to engage and act” on strategic arms control as Washington did with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
The exchange lasted about 10 minutes and Blinken conveyed to Lavrov that the US would continue to support Ukraine. The meeting comes over a week after Russia suspended participation in the New START nuclear treaty with the US.
In the G20 meeting, Blinken said Russia must be pressured to end its war of aggression and withdraw from Ukraine "for the sake of international peace and economic stability".
“Unfortunately, this meeting has again been marred by Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine," he said.