Blinken offers Lavrov to meet in Europe next week

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has offered Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to meet next week, Blinken said speaking at the UN Security Council.

"Earlier today, I sent a letter to Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposing that we meet next week in Europe, following on our talks in recent weeks, to discuss the steps that we can take to resolve this crisis without conflict. We are also proposing meetings of the NATO-Russia Council and the OSCE Permanent Council," he noted.

According to the US official, these meetings can pave the way for a summit of key leaders, in the context of de-escalation, to reach understandings on our mutual security concerns.

"As lead diplomats for our nations, we have a responsibility to make every effort for diplomacy to succeed, to leave no diplomatic stone unturned," he said.