US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said today that he has heard "nothing new" by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the regional summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is being held in Laos, BTA reported.
"I listened to him. I can't say if he listened to me, but I didn't hear anything new," said Blinken, quoted by AFP. The head of American diplomacy made it clear that he had no direct contact with his Russian counterpart, although this was one of the rare occasions when the two were present in the same hall.
"I think all the countries that are present in this room, without me speaking on their behalf, have made it clear that this aggression must stop, not only because it is aggression against the Ukrainian people, but also because is against the principles on which the international system is based," Blinken said.
It is amazing that so many countries in the Indo-Pacific region are closely following what is happening in Ukraine. This is because the countries know that if a country allows itself to act with impunity and commit acts of aggression, it is a signal to other potential aggressors in the world, added the US Secretary of State.
Despite Blinken's statements at the ASEAN summit, Washington is increasingly concerned about China's support for Russia in the form of advanced technology exports that do not amount to direct military aid. India, which enjoys good relations with the US, has also angered Washington as it has refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow, notes AFP.