The United States will not apologize for meeting with the Russian side at the G20 summit, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. He pointed out that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, in a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, suggested discussing the issues that concern Washington.
“For our part, it is important to note that this was a short contact, not a full-fledged bilateral meeting. We will not apologize for acting on our behalf,” Price said.
The “regional leader” had previously noted that the meeting between Blinken and Lavrov within the framework of the “Twenty ministers” in India had caused many discussions in political circles. According to the Russian side, Mr. Blinken became the initiator of the dialogue.
The French edition of Le Monde also drew attention to the diplomatic nuance.
“According to a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Mr. Blinken’s meeting with the Russian foreign minister on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi lasted less than ten minutes… However, Anthony Blinken assured day to day before that, he did not foresee such clashes.
