Russia takes swipe at US, says FM Lavrov met everyone 'who wasn't hiding' at ASEAN summit

In the latest sign of deteriorating ties between Washington and Moscow, Russia said that its Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov talked to everyone who was not ‘hiding’ during the ASEAN gala dinner in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh. The foreign ministers of the 10-nation group, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met this week for the 55th summit amid heightened geopolitical tensions, especially due to the Russia-Ukraine war, prisoners' exchange and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's unannounced visit to Taiwan.

As the US and Russia continue to remain at odds over the war in Ukraine, the Russian delegation told Sputnik that Lavrov interacted with all counterparts except the ones who are not hiding. The delegation’s remarks came in response to the White House’s statements about possible contact between Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was also part of the ASEAN FMs 55th Summit. 

Prior to the remarks by Moscow’s delegation, US National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that Blinken would seek to contact Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Cambodia to discuss prisoner swap. Kirby had also said that he had no doubt that if Blinken “has an opportunity to buttonhole Mr. Lavrov, he will do so.”

Russian delegation’s spokesperson said, “There was contact with everyone who was not hiding. Sergey Viktorovich’s buttons are all intact, as well as zipper.”

Russia sentences US star Brittney Griner to 9 years in prison

While US-Russia ties were already tense over Washington supporting Ukraine in war, the issue of prisoner exchange between both countries also gained momentum in recent days. Russia on Thursday sentenced US basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison over drug smuggling as US President Joe Biden called the ruling "unacceptable".

As per reports, Russian judge Anna Sotnikova told a court in the town of Khimki that the court found Griner “guilty” of smuggling and possessing “a significant amount of narcotics”. The American basketball star was sentenced to nine years in prison and has to pay a fine of one million rubles ($16,590).

Following the sentencing, Biden issued a statement saying, “Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It's unacceptable and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends and teammates”.

Image: AP