First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM
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U.S., allies in war of words with Russia at G20 meet, by Krishn Kaushik and Simon Lewis | Reuters * U.S. and allies row with Russia at G20 ministers meet * Blinken says meeting has been marred by Russia * Lavrov says work on G20 agenda has been turned into a ‘farce’ * Italy’s PM asks India to facilitate ‘just peace’ in Ukraine | NEW DELHI, March 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. and its European allies sparred with Russia on Thursday over the war in Ukraine and urged the Group of 20 (G20) nations to keep up pressure on Moscow to end a conflict that they said had destabilised the world. Russia hit back, accusing the West . . . READ MORE . . .
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Blinken, Lavrov meet briefly as U.S.-Russia tensions soar, by Matthew Lee | AP NEW DELHI — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov talked briefly today at a meeting of top diplomats from the Group of 20 nations in the first high-level meeting in months between the two countries. U.S. officials said the two chatted for roughly 10 minutes on the sidelines of the conference in New Delhi. Relations between Washington and Moscow have . . . READ MORE . . .
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U.S. and Russia’s top diplomats meet at G-20 summit. Reported by Leila Fadel and Charles Maynes | NPR The brief talks marked the first face-to-face meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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India confirms no joint G20 statement due to Ukraine divisions. From AFP. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said today’s G20 meeting in New Delhi had been unable to reach a joint declaration owing to divisions over the war in Ukraine. “On the issue, which very frankly concerned the Ukraine conflict, there . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia claims Ukraine crossborder sabotage raid; Kyiv denies, by Susie Blann | AP KYIV — Russian officials today accused Ukrainian saboteurs of crossing into western Russia and attacking local villages, an accusation Ukraine denied and alleged would be used by Moscow to step up attacks. If confirmed, it would be another indication following drone attacks earlier this week that Kyiv . . . READ MORE . . .
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Official expects Russian troops to take Artyomovsk in near future. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces will soon close the encirclement around the city of Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut in Ukraine), head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control Konstantin Gavrilov said today. He also said “about 20,000 mercenaries” from NATO countries, namely Poland, were along that part of . . . READ MORE . . .
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TO BE CONTINUED