Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to hold telephone negotiations with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on February 1, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday, Trend reports with reference to TASS.
"There will be no personal meeting. A telephone conversation of Lavrov with Blinken is scheduled for Tuesday [February 1]," Zakharova told journalists commenting on the previous statements made by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and other high-ranking US officials about possible contacts between Russian and US top diplomats.
Nuland stated on Sunday that Washington sees signs indicating that Moscow was interested in discussing the United States’ responses to Russia’s proposals on security guarantees. "We've heard some signs that the Russians are interested in engaging on that proposal, including the fact that Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Lavrov will likely speak this week," she said.
Blinken stated last week on Wednesday that he expected contacts with Lavrov as soon as Moscow analyzes the United States’ responses to its security proposals.