U.S.' Blinken cancels meeting with Lavrov, says Russian moves are 'rejection of diplomacy'

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the State Department in Washington, U.S., February 22, 2022. Carolyn Kaster/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday he had canceled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov planned for Thursday after Moscow's recognition of two separatist regions in Ukraine as independent entities.

Blinken said he had agreed to meet with Lavrov, his counterpart, only if Russia did not invade Ukraine.