Russia's Lavrov discussed possibility of more contacts with Blinken soon

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asked U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call not to replicate speculation about alleged "Russian aggression" and discussed the possibility of more contact soon, the Russian ministry said.

The U.S. State Department said earlier on Tuesday that Blinken spoke with Lavrov, urging a diplomatic path to de-escalate tensions surrounding Russia's military build-up in and near Ukraine.