Lavrov Talked to Everyone Who Did Not Hide at ASEAN Dinner, Russian Delegation Says on Blinken

PHNOM PENH (Sputnik) - During the ASEAN gala dinner in Cambodia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov talked to everyone who was not hiding, the Russian delegation told Sputnik, commenting on the White House's statements about a possible contact between the Russian minister and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"There was contact with everyone who was not hiding. Sergey Viktorovich's buttons are all intact, as well as zipper," the delegation's spokesperson said.

Earlier, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that Blinken would seek contact with Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Cambodia to discuss the prisoner exchange. Kirby said he had no doubt that if Blinken "has an opportunity to buttonhole Mr. Lavrov, he will do so."

Previously, Lavrov said that he had no interactions with US State Secretary Antony Blinken during meetings within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Cambodia on Thursday.

"We did not cross paths today. We were working according to the program," Lavrov told journalists when asked whether he met with Blinken on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings.

Meanwhile, US National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that Blinken would speak to Lavrov in Cambodia about a possible prisoner swap if has an opportunity to do so.

"He has been very, very keenly involved in this case since the beginning, and I have no doubt that if he has an opportunity to buttonhole Mr. Lavrov, he will do so," Kirby told NBC.

Earlier in the day, the Khimki Court of the Moscow Region sentenced US basketball player Brittney Griner to nine years in jail and imposed a 1 million ruble ($16,500) fine on her in a drug smuggling case.

The 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference, 23rd ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, 12th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, 29th ASEAN Regional Forum, and other related meetings are taking place in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh from July 31 to August 6.

ASEAN is a political and economic union of 10 member countries in Southeast Asia, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The ASEAN Plus Three format includes the 10 member countries plus China, South Korea, and Japan. Russia, as well as the US, are the bloc's dialogue partner countries.