The highly anticipated meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart scheduled for Thursday is up in the air, according to a State Department official.
“President Putin’s actions yesterday constitute a major escalation and are another indication that Russia is seeking war, not diplomacy,” the official told Al Arabiya English when asked if the meeting was still on.
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US President Joe Biden had also asked French President Emmanuel Macron to pitch a potential summit with his Vladimir Putin, which all sides expressed openness to. But the US said the meeting would be contingent upon Russia not attacking or invading Ukraine.
“We will continue to consult with our Allies and partners in the coming hours on the way forward. As we have said, we are committed to finding a diplomatic resolution that avoids a brutal and costly conflict, but diplomacy cannot succeed unless Russia changes course,” the State Department official said.
France’s top diplomat said he canceled his invite for Sergei Lavrov to visit Paris and meet him on Friday.
Separately, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned Russia’s “latest invasion” of Ukraine but said Washington was working with allies to prevent the conflict from growing.
Speaking at the Pentagon with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Austin said the US would continue to work closely with Kyiv and allies “in trying to find a way to avoid further conflict.”
He praised Ukraine’s “measured response” in calling for a peaceful solution “in the face of Russia’s aggression, provocations and false accusations.”
Putin “can still avoid a full-blown, tragic war of choice,” Austin added.
Kuleba, in Washington for meetings with top officials as the crisis continued to deteriorate, said he was on a diplomatic mission.
“But these days, diplomacy means also defense,” he said, as Kyiv seeks military support from the United States.
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– With AFP
