Blinken and Lavrov Confirm "Serious Differences"... First Meeting Amid Stalemate

Photo by CNN

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] On the occasion of the Arctic Council ministerial meeting held in Iceland, the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers met on the 19th (local time). The bilateral meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was the first high-level face-to-face meeting since President Joe Biden took office. Reflecting the cooled atmosphere due to diplomatic expulsions and President Biden's "killer" remarks, both sides confirmed their differences.

According to U.S. CNN and others, Secretary Blinken opened the meeting remarks by saying, "It is no secret that the two countries differ," and emphasized, "If Russia acts aggressively toward the U.S., its allies, or partners, we will respond."

He continued, "President Biden has shown this through words and actions," adding, "This is not to escalate tensions or seek conflict, but to protect our interests."

Secretary Blinken conveyed President Biden's remarks, saying, "The U.S. seeks a predictable and stable relationship with Russia," emphasizing, "This would be good not only for the peoples of both countries but also for the world."

He cited areas where the two countries could cooperate, including COVID-19, climate change, North Korea and Iran's nuclear programs, and the Afghanistan issue.

Minister Lavrov also said, "There are serious differences between the two countries in assessing international issues and the way to normalize them." He added that he was "ready to discuss all issues without exception," but conditioned such discussions on "being truthful and based on mutual trust."

Bloomberg News reported that Minister Lavrov mentioned Iran and Afghanistan before entering the meeting with Secretary Blinken.

The meeting was held amid speculation that President Biden and President Putin will hold their first face-to-face summit in Europe next month.

The meeting lasted nearly two hours. A senior U.S. official told AP News that the meeting "started well without disputes" and that "many issues were prepared for the two presidents to discuss."

However, the official added that neither side made proposals that would advance the summit. AFP News reported, citing a State Department spokesperson, that Secretary Blinken expressed deep concern during the meeting about Russian troops still massing in large numbers near the Ukraine border despite announcements of withdrawal.

Secretary Blinken reportedly expressed concern about the health of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the repression of opposition organizations in Russia.

After the meeting, Minister Lavrov told Russian reporters that the meeting was "constructive" and that Russia proposed "a new and broad strategic dialogue" to the U.S.

He added, "There was an understanding of the need to overcome the abnormal situation in bilateral relations," but "many obstacles remain."

Minister Lavrov said, "Russia is ready to clear the debris left by the previous U.S. administration," and "I felt that Blinken and his team also agreed to do so."

Relations between the U.S. and Russia rapidly deteriorated after President Biden publicly called President Putin a "killer" last March.

The Biden administration imposed sanctions against Russia in April, including expelling 10 Russian diplomats from the U.S., over allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election and hacking of federal agencies.

In response, Russia expelled U.S. diplomats from its territory, raising concerns that relations could worsen beyond Cold War levels.

About an hour and a half before the meeting, news emerged that the Biden administration would impose sanctions on eight Russian vessels and related companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 project, a gas pipeline connecting Russia and Germany.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.