ROME. Nov 1 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he did not meet with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Rome, but he had a conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden.
"No, I did not meet with Antony Blinken in Rome, I don't know whether he is here or not," Lavrov told reporters in the Italian capital.
"We managed to talk to President Biden over dinner yesterday," the Russian minister added.
When asked how promoting the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines correlates with the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin, while vaccinated, is not attending the G20 summit in person, Lavrov said, "I don't see any connection."
"Many leaders in their speeches supported what President Putin said on the subject of vaccines," Lavrov said.
On Saturday, Putin called on the leaders of the G20 member states to promptly work on the mutual approval of national vaccination certificates.
"We're offering to instruct the health ministries of the G20 member states to work on the mutual recognition of national vaccination certificates as soon as possible," Putin spoke at the G20 summit via videoconferencing.
Despite the decision of the G20 member states, all countries in need still do not have access to vaccines and other crucial resources, Putin said. "It happens, among other things, due to unfair, in my opinion, competition, protectionism, due to unpreparedness of a number of states, including the G20 countries, for mutual recognition of vaccines and vaccination certificates," the Russian president said.