Senior diplomats from the US and Russia sparred politely in Iceland on Wednesday in their first face-to-face encounter, which came as ties between the nations have deteriorated sharply in recent months. “We seek a predictable, stable relationship with Russia,” Mr Blinken told Mr Lavrov, echoing comments made by President Joe Biden, who has proposed a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin next month. Expand Close Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Saul Loeb/Pool/AP) / FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsapp Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Saul Loeb/Pool/AP)The meeting also followed a spate of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions as US-Russian relations threaten a return to Cold War lows. Perhaps anticipating Mr Blinken’s position and the expected sanctions announcement, Mr Lavrov had offered a prebuttal on Monday. Mr Trump left a decidedly mixed legacy on Russia that included a friendly personal relationship with Mr Putin, while his administration still imposed sanctions and other punitive measures.

Source: Irish Independent May 20, 2021 00:33 UTC