US Secretary of State Blinken and Russian foreign minister Lavrov to meet next week if no Ukraine invasion

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has accepted an invitation to meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov next week "provided there is no further Russian invasion of Ukraine," the State Department said Thursday.

The meeting, which was initially suggested by the United States, was initiated "because we believe the only responsible way to resolve this crisis is through diplomacy and dialogue," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.