State Dept says still expecting Blinken-Lavrov call to happen in coming days

Russia has acknowledged U.S. request for a call between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday, adding that Washington was still expecting the conversation to happen in the coming days.

Blinken on Wednesday said he will use the planned call to press Lavrov to respond to the 'substantial offer' that the Biden administration has put forward to Moscow to secure the release of American citizens Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, who are detained in Russia.