Editor
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke on Friday to his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, and urged him to accept a proposal for the release of Brittney Griner and Paul N. Whelan, but reported no breakthrough.
Mr. Blinken told reporters at a news conference that he had spoken to his Russian counterpart by phone, their first conversation since weeks before Russia’s Feb 24. invasion of Ukraine. He declined to say how Mr. Lavrov responded.
“I urged Foreign Minister…
