Blinken Cancels Plans to Meet With Russia’s Foreign Minister

 

The two diplomats were scheduled to meet on Thursday in Geneva

by Dave DeCamp 

Posted onFebruary 22, 2022CategoriesNewsTagsRussia, Ukraine

The US has canceled a meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that was scheduled for Thursday in Geneva.

Blinken announced the cancellation on Tuesday, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move to recognize the breakaway republics in the Donbas and send troops to the region, which the US says is the “beginning “of a Russian “invasion” of Ukraine.

“Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time,” Blinken said. “I consulted with our allies and partners — all agree.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also announced that a meeting with Lavrov he had scheduled for Friday was canceled. The US and its European allies coordinated on sanctions against Russia that were also announced Tuesday.

Blinken and Lavrov were going to discuss the security negotiations that have been ongoing between the two powers. Last week, Russia delivered its written reply to the US’s response to Putin’s security proposals.

The Russians noted that the Americans are willing to negotiate arms control but ignored the key demands concerning NATO expansion and the presence of US and NATO forces near Russia’s borders.

https://news.antiwar.com/2022/02/22/blinken-cancels-plans-to-meet-with-russias-foreign-minister/