This is the first meeting between the heads of American and Russian diplomacy since the start of the war in Ukraine..

The meeting took place against the backdrop of continuing high tensions over Ukraine and Russia’s withdrawal from New START.

According to the same official, Blinken and Lavrov talked for about 10 minutes. In the conversation, the US Secretary of State called on Russia to release Paul Whelan and return to New START, emphasizing US support for Ukraine.

According to the same US official, the meeting was not scheduled and it was Blinken who approached Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting.

The last time Blinken and Lavrov met in person was before the Russian invasion.

Earlier, the US Secretary of State said that the meeting of G20 finance ministers was “tarnished” by the war in Ukraine.

“Unfortunately, this meeting was once again overshadowed by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine, its deliberate campaign of extermination of the civilian population, and Russia’s attack on the basic principles of the United Nations Charter,” the US Secretary of State said.

Source: CNN