The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, announced on Wednesday, July 27, that he plans to talk soon with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, for the first time since the invasion of Russia at the end of February.
This phone interview that is scheduledin the next few days“, “There will be no negotiations on Ukraine“, but it should mainly be devoted to the Americans detained in Russia and the restoration of Ukrainian grain exports, the American Secretary of State specified during the press conference.
A prisoner exchange offer
“I plan to raise a topic that is a priority for us. The release of Paul Whelan and Britney Greener, who were wrongfully detained, and who should be allowed to return home.“, he announced. “We put a substantial offer on the negotiating table a few weeks ago to facilitate these releases.“He added, refusing to clarify what the American proposal consists of.
Former US Ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul has called on President Joe Biden’s administration to exchange two American prisoners for Russian arms dealer Victor Bout, who is imprisoned in the US. Basketball player Brittney Griner was arrested in Moscow airport in February after her hand was found in her luggage.vapors“and D”liquid with a certain smellfrom hemp oil, reports the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Former US soldier Paul Whelan, a former security manager for an auto parts company who has been detained since 2018, continues to maintain his innocence after being sentenced to 16 years in prison for spying in Russia.
Ship grain again
Antony Blinken added that he intends to discuss with the Russian Foreign Minister the agreement between Kiev and Moscow signed last week in Istanbul with the mediation of Turkey and under the auspices of the United Nations, which allows to send about 25 million tons of wheat abroad. In the ports of Ukraine. “We hope that this agreement will quickly make it possible to transport Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea and that Russia will fulfill its promise to allow these ships to pass.“, he said.
However, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said they do not trust Moscow to provide security for the convoys and recalled Saturday’s launch of a Russian missile at the port of Odesa. The Kremlin, for its part, has said it sees no obstacle to resuming exports, which are also hampered by the presence of sea mines deployed by Ukrainian forces to defend against a Russian amphibious assault. Demining will only happenin the corridor required for export“, according to Kiev.
The last phone conversation between the two men began on February 15, when Antony Blinken warned of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Nine days later, Russian forces entered Ukrainian territory, prompting the US and its allies to impose a series of financial sanctions on it to isolate Moscow internationally.
Source: Le Figaro
