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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of telling “a lot of lies” on topics such as the Ukraine war during talks with G20 ministers in Atlanta on Friday.
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“We were talking about the big geopolitical crisis, including Ukraine, and we were able to address Sergey Lavrov head on with this,” she told the AFP news agency.
“Of course, he put forward a lot of lies, a lot of false narratives” that Europeans challenged, Kallas added.
European officials also reportedly used the opportunity to put further pressure on Moscow as they sought to secure a ceasefire in the Black Sea – prompting pushback from Lavrov, a diplomatic source told AFP.
British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband said he had also told Lavrov in the plenary that “he should have the courage to tell Putin that Russia will not win this war.”
The UK minister is also said to have confronted Lavrov over a recent attack on a Dnipro railway that killed 15 people as he stressed Moscow was the “aggressor” in the conflict, which began in February 2022 when Russian forces launched their full-scale invasion.
In a press conference on Friday, Lavrov “welcomed” the US’ willingness to engage in dialogue with Moscow while hitting out at what he called Europe’s “arrogant boycott.”
“This is a good lesson for our European colleagues,” he said of Washington’s approach.
Several officials at the meetings also reportedly refused to stand for a “family photo” with Lavrov, leading US organisers to cancel the picture.
The G20 meetings come just days before the US’ key midterm elections, which will determine the balance of power in Congress for President Donald Trump’s final two years in office.
US approves Patriots package for Ukraine
On Friday, the US State Department announced that Washington had green-lit a package of 500 Patriot PAC-3 interceptors worth $2.1 billion for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has continued to plead with US and European allies for more interceptors for its forces as Ukraine continues to weather Russian missile and drone attacks.
And while he welcomed the new package and thanked the US for its “strong decision,” he warned that delivery could take years.
“Five hundred PAC-3 interceptors is a substantial number, and very soon – this winter – they COULD make for a highly effective defence package,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.
“However, it has been stipulated that deliveries may begin ONLY IN A FEW YEARS,” he added. “We are asking our American partners to find a solution for the time when there is a real danger and a real need to use PAC-3 interceptors.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 in Atlanta.
Additional sources • AFP
