US, Russia hold highest-level talks since Ukraine invasion

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

NEW DELHI (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke briefly in New Delhi at a meeting of top diplomats from the Group of 20 nations. It’s the highest-level in-person talks between the two countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But there was no indication of any movement toward easing tensions between their two nations. Relations between Washington and Moscow plummeted over Russia’s now year—old invasion of Ukraine. Blinken said he told Lavrov during the roughly 10-munute chat that U.S. support for Ukraine is unwavering, that Russia should return to the New START arms control treaty and that Russia should release detained American Paul Whelan.