Russia rejects US' claim of proposing telephonic dialogue between Blinken and Lavrov

Russia on Wednesday, July 27 said that it has received " requests" from President Biden-led US ministration for any telephonic conversation scheduled between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In a confirmation to TASS, Russian foreign ministry said, "re have been requests, only media reports. We rely on regular diplomatic practices rar than on megaphone diplomacy." 

Blinken says he has plans to speak with Lavrov

statement comes as US Secretary Blinken h earlier stated that he has plans to speak with Lavrov over issue of stranded grain export from key ports in Black Sea. Speaking at US State Department's press conference, Blinken h said, “In  coming days, I expect to speak with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov for first time since war (in Ukraine) began and dress release of Brittney Griner & Paul Whelan. We gave a substantial proposal weeks ago to facilitate ir release.” US Secretary h also said that United States communicated a “substantial offer” to Moscow in order to secure a release of  basketball star Brittney Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan. 

“We communicated a substantial offer that we believe could be successful based on a history of conversations with Russians,” a senior ministration said in a televised remark on CNN, raising prospects of talks between two officials. 

Russia, however, rejected prospects of a phone conversation with US, stressing that Kremlin only focuses on diplomatic practices and t on phone diplomacy. 

Lavrov h earlier stated that US, EU and UK have been intending to escalate ongoing conflict in Ukraine by waging a proxy war with Russia and want a larger confrontation between Moscow and members of European Union. Moscow's Foreign Minister, in an interview with state-affiliated RT, said, “Our American counterparts, British counterparts, with active support from Germans, Polish and Baltic states, y really want to turn this war into a real war and start a confrontation between Russia and European states." 

Russian minister also slammed West for “keeping Ukraine from any constructive steps”. Lavrov said that y have been creating an obstruction in peace talks and influencing Ukraine for ir own vested interests. “[Ukraine is] t just [being] pumped with weapons. y are forced to use se weapons in an increasingly riskier way," Lavrov said.