Antony Blinken set to visit Germany to discuss response to Russia-Ukraine war with NATO

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to travel to Germany from May 14 for a meeting with the foreign ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) against the backdrop of the all-out Russia-Ukraine war. According to a press release by the US State Department, the top diplomats of the states are expected to discuss further responses to the ongoing Russian onslaught in Ukraine. The meeting comes after German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock last month invited all NATO members for an unofficial meeting in Berlin.

Following the NATO summit in Germany, Blinken will travel to France on May 15 with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The US officials will attend the ministers' convention of the US-EU Trade and Technology Council. The host of meetings in Europe comes as Finland is ready to forward its application to join the intergovernmental military bloc, a move that has angered the Russian Federation.

This also comes as former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Thursday warned of a potential escalation of conflict in the wake of weapons supply to Kyiv from the West. In a Telegram post, he stated that the delivery of war arms to Ukraine "increased the likelihood of direct and open conflict" between Moscow and NATO instead of a "proxy war."

G7 leaders in Germany discussed impact of Ukraine war

Meanwhile, meetings of foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations is underway in Germany. The three-day meeting is focused on the impact of the Russian war on the global food supply and energy prices. Speaking at the meeting, Baerbock emphasised that the Russian assault on Ukraine has already transpired into a "global conflict" as the export of staple crops from Ukraine is mostly halted, posing threat to the food security of developing countries. At least 27.5 million tonnes of grain are currently blocked at Ukrainian ports, especially in Odesa, which is food for millions of people across the world, Baerbock said, adding that the G7 nations are deliberating over "how the grain blockade exerted by Russia can be unblocked," CNBC reported.

(Image: AP)