U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by telephone on July 29, the first discussion of officials of the two nations since the Russian military operation in Ukraine. It follows by one day the discussion between U.S. President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping. While such discussions are welcome, and could represent an opening to restored diplomacy rather than war, there were no agreements. In fact Lavrov ridiculed the talk of a prisoner swap as a “fake.”
Blinkin told reporters: “Earlier today, I spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. We had a frank and direct conversation. I pressed the Kremlin to accept the substantial proposal that we put forth on the release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Greiner.” This refers to Washington’s proposal to exchange U.S. nationals Paul Whelan and Britney Greiner for Russian convicted arms salesman Viktor Bout.
Blinkin said they also discussed the implementation of the Turkish-Russian-Ukrainian grain deal. He furthermore threatened: “The world will not recognize annexations. We will impose additional significant costs on Russia if it moves forward with its plans.” (https://www.state.gov/secretary-blinken-secretary-raimondo-foreign-minister-hayashi-and-minister-hagiuda-at-a-press-availability/)
According to TASS the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the discussion saying: “The two top diplomats discussed the current situation in Ukraine. The minister described Russia’s principled approaches in light of the ongoing special military operation on the territories of the D.P.R, L.P.R. … and Ukraine and stressed that its goals and tasks will inevitably be attained.” Blinkin was also told that the flooding of the Ukrainian army and nationalist battalions with American and NATO weapons, which are used against civilian population, only prolongs the agony of the Kiev regime, protracts the conflict and multiplies casualties…. Lavrov stressed that the Russian armed forces strictly observe norms of international law and systemic work is being done on the liberated territories to resume peaceful life.”
The statement also said that they discussed the grain deal: “The minister drew special attention to the fact that the global [food] situation is complicated by the U.S. sanctions and that the U.S. has not yet fulfilled its promise to grant the relevant exemptions for Russian food exports. He stressed that the use of this problem by the collective West in its geopolitical interests is inadmissible.”
“The two top diplomats exchanged views on the problems of bilateral relations, which badly need normalization,” the ministry said. “Concerning possible exchange of prisoners with the United States, the Russian side strongly recommended the sides return to professional dialogue in the regime of quiet diplomacy, without speculations and fakes.”
The Ministry issued a press release on Lavrov’s discussion at Blinken’s request, which is posted to the Foreign Ministry website: https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1824520/
