Wednesday, May 12, 2021

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Will Meet With Russian Foriegn Minister Sergey Lavrov In Iceland On May 20

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a statement as he meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels, Belgium, April 14, 2021. Johanna Geron, Reuters

CNBC: Top U.S. and Russian diplomats will meet next week in Iceland 

* U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet in person with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Iceland on May 20. 

* The meeting represents the highest-level in-person talks between Washington and Moscow since President Joe Biden took office. 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet in person with his Russian counterpart next week in Iceland, the highest-level in-person talks between Washington and Moscow since President Joe Biden took office. 

The meeting, which was announced Wednesday in separate statements from the U.S. State Department and Russian Foreign Ministry, will take place on May 20 on the sidelines of the Arctic Council ministerial meeting. 

Blinken, who spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday, called on Moscow to release former U.S. Marines Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed, who are serving 16-year and 9-year prison sentences, respectively, according to a State Department readout of the conversation. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: I knew last month that they were going to show up at the same the Arctic Council ministerial meeting in Reykjavik .... Blinken And Lavrov To Attend Arctic Council Meeting in Reykjavík (Iceland Review). So today's announcements makes it official. 

As for the meeting itself. I have very low expectations. 

Both sides are not talking, and there is little if any common ground to move forward. 

If Blinken and Lavrov can come out of this meeting with an agreement to have future discussions , I will call it a win. And if they come out of this meeting with the announcement that Biden and Putin will meet at a future date. I will then call it a positive sign. 

More News On U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Meeting Russian Foriegn Minister Sergey Lavrov In Iceland On May 20 

 Lavrov, Blinken agree to hold separate meeting in Reykjavik -- TASS 

Lavrov, Blinken agree to meet May 20: Moscow -- AFP  

State Department says Blinken to meet Russia's Lavrov in Iceland next week -- Reuters

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"If Blinken and Lavrov can come out of this meeting with an agreement to have future discussions , I will call it a win. And if they come out of this meeting with the announcement that Biden and Putin will meet at a future date. I will then call it a positive sign. "

Predictions: Delphi method