Page 2 - Antony Blinken

US sees window for new push to break deadlock in Lebanon, ease conflict

With Israel's sabotage and military operations in Lebanon taking out many of Hezbollah's senior leaders, some in Washington and elsewhere believe there may be a window for a new push to break the political deadlock in Lebanon to try to ease escalating war. To that end, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone separately Friday with acting Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and parliament speaker Nabhi Berri about the need to resolve the situation, the State Department said. Earlier in the week, Blinken talked with his Saudi, Qatari and French counterparts about how a resolution particularly the election of a new Lebanese president might reduce tensions in the Middle East by getting Hezbollah to move its forces away from Israel's northern border to the line set out in a U.N. Security Council resolution ending the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. It's clear that the people of Lebanon have an interest, a strong interest, in the state asserting itself and taking ...

PM Modi expresses grief for Hurricane Milton victims to Blinken at ASEAN

Following that, he interacted with the Indian diaspora in Vientiane. He greeted Indian community members as they were excited to meet him outside the hotel in Laos

US concerned about China's risky sea actions, Blinken warns ASEAN

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Southeast Asian leaders Friday that the US is concerned about China's increasingly dangerous and unlawful activities in the disputed South China Sea during an annual summit meeting, and pledged the US will continue to uphold freedom of navigation in the vital sea trade route. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations' meeting with Blinken followed a series of violent confrontations at sea between China and ASEAN members Philippines and Vietnam, which have fueled concerns that China's increasingly assertive actions in the waterways could spiral into a full-scale conflict. China, which claims almost the entire sea, has overlapping claims with ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan. About a third of global trade transits through the sea, which is also rich in fishing stocks, gas and oil. Beijing has refused to recognize a 2016 international arbitration ruling by a U.N.-affiliated court in the .

US' top officials Blinken, Austin mourn Oct 7 attack on Israel by Hamas

Lloyd further expressed sorrow over the deaths of Palestinian civilians as well as the American citizens killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the conflict

EAM Jaishankar meets Blinken, discuss bilateral co-op, West Asia, Ukraine

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his US counterpart Antony Blinken here and held discussions covering deepening bilateral cooperation, the situation in West Asia, recent developments in the Indian sub-continent, the Indo-Pacific and Ukraine. Jaishankar - on his first visit to the US capital since the third Modi government took office - met Blinken on Tuesday at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the US State Department. "Delighted to hold talks with @SecBlinken today in Washington DC. We followed up on the Delaware bilateral and Quad meetings. Our discussions also covered deepening bilateral cooperation, situation in West Asia, recent developments in the Indian subcontinent, the Indo-Pacific and Ukraine," Jaishankar said in a post on X. The minister was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden. The US president hosted Modi at his Delaware residence for a bilateral meeting on September 21. They were later joined by lead

Totally unacceptable: Antony Blinken condemns Iran's attack on Israel

Blinken reaffirmed US support for Israel, stating that they would continue close communication with Israel moving forward

Jaishankar reaches Washington DC, to meet counterpart Antony Blinken

The think-tank said amid fast-paced global developments, India's bilateral ties with the US had grown more extensive

Blinken heads back to Mideast, this time without fanfare or visit to Israel

Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Egypt on Tuesday for his 10th trip to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began nearly a year ago, this one aimed partly at refining a proposal to present to Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire deal and release of hostages. Unlike in recent mediating missions, America's top diplomat this time is travelling without optimistic projections from the Biden administration of an expected breakthrough in the troubled negotiations. Notably, Blinken has no public plans to go to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on this trip. The Israeli leader's fiery public statements like his declaration that Israel would accept only total victory when Blinken was last in the region in June and some other unbudgeable demands have complicated earlier diplomacy. Blinken is going to Egypt for talks Wednesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and others, in a trip billed as focused both on American-Egyptian relations and Gaza ...

US announces over $700 mn in aid for Ukraine's energy grid, other projects

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced more than $700 million in aid for Ukraine Wednesday during a visit to Kyiv, aiming to bolster the energy grid that Russia has repeatedly pounded ahead of an expected difficult winter. At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Blinken said the assistance also would provide humanitarian support and pay for demining operations. The $325 million in energy support in the package will help repair and restore Ukraine's power generation facilities, provide emergency backup power and strengthen the physical security of energy infrastructure. Some $290 million will fund food, water, shelter, health care and education programs for Ukrainians in need in the country and refugees outside the country. The remaining $102 million will be used for mine-removal activities. Late last week, the US announced it was sending $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defence missi

Blinken, Lammy arrive in Kyiv as Ukraine pushes for strikes against Russia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in Kyiv on a joint visit Wednesday, as Ukraine presses the West to allow it to use long-range missiles against Russia. The top diplomats reached the Ukrainian capital by train hours after the US presidential debate during which Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump sparred over the 2 1/2-year war in Ukraine. Blinken travelled from London, where he accused Iran of providing Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, calling the move a dramatic escalation of the war. For months, Ukraine has been requesting approval to use long-range weapons from the United States and Western allies to strike targets in Russia, and is expected to press harder given Russia's latest reported weapons acquisition. If we are allowed to destroy military targets or weapons prepared by the enemy for attacks on Ukraine, it would certainly bring more safety for our civilians, our people, and our ..

Blinken visits Dominican Republic as talks with president focus on economy

The US secretary of state and the leader of the Dominican Republic held private talks Friday on a range of issues, from human rights, economic prosperity and regional security. However, the crisis in violence-wrecked Haiti dominated the discussions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Dominican Republic for a one-day visit after landing in neighbouring Haiti on Thursday to support a UN-backed mission led by Kenya to fight rampaging gangs there. Blinken said he spoke with Dominican President Luis Abinader about the latter's concerns regarding Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Abinader told reporters that his administration is concerned over the apparent lack of resources for the mission and the thousands of inmates who escaped after gangs raided Haiti's two biggest prisons earlier this year as part of a coordinated attack. Haiti's crisis has caused a surge in migrants trying to enter the Dominican Republic, Abinader said, addin

US approves sale of Anti-Submarine Warfare Sonobuoys to India for $52.8 mn

Notably, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency is an agency within the United States Department of Defence

Blinken ends Mideast visit without cease-fire, warning 'time is of essence'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended his ninth visit to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began without securing a cease-fire deal, warning on Tuesday that time is of the essence even as Hamas and Israel signalled that challenges remain. After meetings in fellow mediating countries Egypt and Qatar, Blinken said that because Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge gaps with the militant group, the focus turns to doing everything possible to get Hamas on board and ensure both sides agree to key details on implementation. Our message is simple. It's clear and it's urgent," he told reporters before leaving Qatar. "We need to get a cease-fire and hostage agreement over the finish line, and we need to do it now. Time is of the essence. There has been added urgency to reach a deal after the recent targeted killings of militant leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah in Iran and Lebanon, both attributed to Israel, and vows of retaliation that have sparked fears of a wider regional war. F

Antony Blinken visits Gaza mediators in pursuit of ceasefire deal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar as he pressed ahead Tuesday with the latest diplomatic mission to secure a cease-fire in the war in Gaza, even as Hamas and Israel signalled that challenges remain. Hamas in a new statement called the latest proposal presented to it a reversal of what it agreed to previously and accused the US of acquiescing to what it called new conditions from Israel. There was no immediate US response. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, told relatives of hostages in Gaza that a key goal is to preserve our strategic security assets in the face of great pressures from home and abroad. He noted the capture of a narrow buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border that Israel calls the Philadelphi corridor. Neither Hamas nor Egypt wants an Israeli presence there. The meeting came as Israel's military said it recovered the bodies of six hostages taken in Hamas' October 7 attack that started the war, bringi

Israel-Hamas war: Hard decisions remain over ceasefire, says Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences holding up a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza. He called on Hamas to do the same. Blinken on Tuesday was on his ninth urgent mission to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began more than 10 months ago. He did not say whether the bridging proposal addressed concerns cited by Hamas. Even if the militant group accepts the proposal, negotiators will spend the coming days working on clear understandings on implementing the agreement, Blinken said. He said there are still complex issues requiring hard decisions by the leaders, without offering specifics. Blinken is travelling to Egypt and Qatar on Tuesday for further negotiations after meetings in Israel on Monday. His visit came days after mediators, including the United States, expressed renewed optimism that a deal was close. His trip also came amid fears the conflict could widen into a deeper regional war following the killing

Israel accepts proposal to bridge impasse, Hamas must do same: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences holding up a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, and he called on Hamas to do the same, without saying whether the latest draft had addressed concerns cited by the militant group. The high-stakes negotiations have gained speed in recent days as diplomats hope an agreement will deter Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah from avenging the targeted killings of two top militants that were blamed on Israel. The escalating tensions have raised fears of an even more destructive regional war. Blinken spoke after holding a 2 1/2 hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day, and will travel to Egypt and Qatar for further negotiations. The three mediators have spent months trying to end the war in Gaza, with the talks repeatedly stalling. In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel supports the bridgin

Blinken to hold Gaza cease-fire talks on 9th Mideast trip since war began

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will use his ninth diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war to press for the quick conclusion of an elusive cease-fire agreement. Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday before what mediators have billed as a last push to reach a deal that will take place in Cairo later this week. He will meet with top Israeli officials on Monday before travelling to Egypt on Tuesday. Late last week, the three countries mediating the proposed cease-fire reported progress on a deal under which Israel would halt most military operations in Gaza and release a number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas. A senior official travelling with Blinken said his arrival in the region comes at a critical time in the cease-fire talks and the secretary would press all parties on the importance of concluding it quickly to end civilian suffering in Gaza and prevent the conflict from engulfing the region. T

Israel strikes Gaza as Blinken heads to region to close ceasefire deal

Israeli strikes across Gaza killed 19 people overnight, including a woman and her six children, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the region on Sunday to try to seal a cease-fire deal after months of contentious negotiations. The U.S. and fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar appeared to be closing in on a deal after two days of talks in Doha, with American and Israeli officials expressing cautious optimism. But Hamas has signaled resistance to what it says are new demands by Israel, and the long-running talks have repeatedly stalled. The evolving proposal calls for a three-phase process in which Hamas would release all hostages abducted during its Oct. 7 attack, which triggered the deadliest war ever fought between Israelis and Palestinians. In exchange, Israel would withdraw its forces from Gaza and release Palestinian prisoners. The mediators hope to end a war that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, displaced the vast majority

US Secy Blinken to embark on Israel visit today, push for Gaza ceasefire

"Secretary Blinken will underscore the critical need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or any actions that could undermine the ability to finalise an agreement," it added

Blinken wishes Indians on Independence Day; says US, India share deep bond

Predicting a bright future for the US-India strategic relations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the two countries share a deep bond, which is founded on their shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity. Congratulating the people of India ahead of the country's Independence Day, Blinken said: "On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations." India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day on Thursday. "Our comprehensive global and strategic partnership is grounded in the deep bonds between our peoples, our economies, and built on the foundation of our shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity," Blinken said in a statement. The US-India cooperation is expanding at a rapid pace as the two countries continue to work together to advance our shared vision of a free, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, he said on Wednesday. The US, India and several