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U.S.’ Blinken cancels meeting with Lavrov, says Russian moves are ‘rejection of diplomacy’ -Breaking

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© Reuters. U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken addresses a news conference in Washington with Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba. This was held at the State Department, Washington, U.S.A. on February 22, 2022. Carolyn Kaster/Pool via REUTERS

Simon Lewis and Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) –The U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken announced Tuesday that he cancelled a planned meeting with Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister. This was due to the recognition by Moscow of two separate regions of Ukraine.

Blinken stated that he would meet Lavrov, his counterpart, if Russia does not invade Ukraine.

Following a Washington meeting with Dmytro Kunleba, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Blinken: “Now that the invasion is underway and Russia has clearly made its wholesale rejection to diplomacy,” Blinken explained to reporters.

Blinken indicated that he is still open to diplomacy, “if Moscow’s attitude changes”, and would do all he could to “avert an even worst-case scenario,” an assault on Ukraine including its capital.

He said, “But Russia will not be allowed to pretend diplomacy while it accelerates the march down the path towards conflict and war.”

On Tuesday, the Western countries imposed more sanctions on Russia after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of Donetsk-Luhansk. He also ordered Russian troops into Ukraine to maintain peace. Washington rejected this as “nonsense” and ordered troops to be deployed.

A Reuters reporter saw a couple of tanks in Donetsk’s outskirts overnight, while several blasts could be heard in Donetsk city on Tuesday.

Washington met with allies about the decision to cancel talks that were to be held in Europe. On Tuesday, Blinken reported that Washington informed Lavrov by a letter.

Blinken claimed that Putin’s speech to announce the moves was “deeply concerning” and demonstrated the fact that Putin considers Ukraine “subordinate to Russia.”

According to the Secretary of State, sanctions will be escalated by the United States and its allies if Russia escalates aggression towards Ukraine.

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