美国国家公共电台 NPR--U.S. and Russia's top diplomats meet at G-20 summit

U.S. and Russia's top diplomats¹ meet at G-20 summit

Transcript²

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.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Secretary of State Antony Blinken held brief - very brief - talks with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of a gathering³ of G-20 nations in India. It's the first face-to-face meeting between the diplomats since Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago. NPR's Charles Maynes joins us from Moscow to discuss this meeting. So, Charles, how unexpected was this? Can I call it a meeting if it only went 10 minutes?

CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE⁴: Well, you know, officials from both countries insisted Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had no intention of speaking to one another in this G-20 meeting, only to end up having a 10-minute exchange, as you note, that Russia's foreign ministry⁵ spokeswoman characterized as requested by Blinken and carried out on the move, meaning it was impromptu⁶ in between sessions. Now, as you note, this was the first face-to-face exchange since the war started. They've essentially⁷ been ducking one another at ministerial meetings around the world over the past year. So 10 minutes isn't much, but I suppose it passes for progress these days.

FADEL: But what actually could have been accomplished⁸? I mean, the relationship between the U.S. and Russia is so bad right now. Even the handshake before the meeting seemed pretty awkward. Do we know what Blinken and Lavrov discussed?

MAYNES: Well, it seems as though this was about Blinken wanting to deliver a message. This exchange came amid an already acrimonious¹⁰ gathering of these G-20 ministers in which divisions over Ukraine dominated proceedings¹¹. We don't have any word on Lavrov's reaction, but no surprise, according to the State Department, Blinken told Lavrov the U.S. remained steadfast¹² in its support for Ukraine's sovereignty. I think there's a sense in Washington that Russia believes it can outlast¹³ any U.S. commitment to Ukraine for the simple reason that Russia believes the U.S. will move on to the next new thing. You know, while Ukraine is a core issue to Russia's security interests, needless to say, that position in Moscow doesn't give much heed¹⁴ to Ukraine's own security needs.

FADEL: Well, speaking of security, national security, another issue was Russia withdrawing from a nuclear arms control treaty it had with the U.S. Did that come up?

MAYNES: Yeah, you know, Blinken urged Russia to rejoin the New START nuclear arms control treaty, from which Moscow formally suspended participation¹⁵ this week. President Putin - Vladimir Putin, of course, announced he would suspend Russia's participation in a state of the nation address to Parliament last month. Now, New START is the last remaining arms control treaty between the two nuclear superpowers. The two sides really have been bickering¹⁶ over inspections¹⁷ that were initially¹⁸ suspended during the COVID pandemic, but now have gotten caught up in this fallout over Ukraine. Russia's made very clear it links resumption of the treaty with the U.S. backing off in Ukraine. The good news here is that Moscow is suspending participation while intending to abide¹⁹ by the treaty. But of course, there's no way to verify any of that anymore. And there are a lot - there's not a whole lot of trust on either side to do so.

FADEL: Now, Blinken also pressed again for the release of Paul Whelan, an American the U.S. says is wrongfully detained in Russia on espionage²⁰ charges, right?

MAYNES: Yeah. You know, just to step back, the U.S. has wanted Whelan as part of this prisoner exchange that we saw last December when we saw the release of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner.

FADEL: Yeah.

MAYNES: She was exchanged in the end for Russian arms dealer²¹ Viktor Bout⁹, but Russia refused to include Whelan in that deal. Now, according to the State Department, Blinken told Lavrov there was another offer on the table and urged Moscow to take it. What that might be or who in exchange might be for, we just don't know. But clearly, it's a signal from Washington that Whelan is not forgotten.

FADEL: NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow, thanks so much.

MAYNES: Thank you.

1 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 impromptu   

adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地)

参考例句：

• The announcement was made in an impromptu press conference at the airport.这一宣布是在机场举行的临时新闻发布会上作出的。
• The children put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.孩子们为来访者即兴献上了一场音乐会。

7 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

8 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

9 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

10 acrimonious   

adj.严厉的，辛辣的，刻毒的

参考例句：

• He had an acrimonious quarrel with his girlfriend yesterday.昨天他跟他的女朋友激烈争吵了一番。
• His parents went through an acrimonious divorce.他的父母在激烈吵吵闹闹中离了婚。

11 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

12 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

13 outlast   

v.较…耐久

参考例句：

• The great use of life is to spend it doing something that will outlast it.人生的充分利用就是为争取比人生更长久的东西而度过一生。
• These naturally dried flowers will outlast a bouquet of fresh blooms.这些自然风干的花会比一束鲜花更加持久。

14 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

15 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

16 bickering   

v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁

参考例句：

• The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。
• The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

19 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

20 espionage   

n.间谍行为，谍报活动

参考例句：

• The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
• Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。

21 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。