Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Friday over the phone for the first time since the conflict in Ukraine began on February 24, with Blinken describing the conversation as a "frank" exchange.

The two top diplomats looked to stick to their existing positions on the issue, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry and the readout of the call from the U.S. side.

On Ukraine

Lavrov outlined Russia's principled approaches in light of the ongoing "special military operation" in Ukraine, stressing that its goals and objectives will be achieved, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Lavrov also denounced the U.S. military and NATO for their supply of billions of dollars of weapons to Ukraine, saying it "only prolonged the agony of the Kyiv regime, extending the conflict and its victims," according to the statement.

Blinken said he pressed Lavrov on Russia honoring a Turkish-brokered proposal to ship grain out of Ukraine. Lavrov told Blinken that it was the U.S. sanctions that complicated the global food situation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said that relations between Russia and the United States "are in strong need of normalization."

On prisoner swaps

Blinken initiated the call with Lavrov, whom he had shunned as early as a few weeks ago, as he pressed Russia to accept an offer on swap of prisoners.

"We had a frank and direct conversation. I pressed the Kremlin to accept the substantial proposal that we put forth on the release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner," Blinken told reporters.

The White House has faced growing public pressure to find a way home for Griner, an American basketball star jailed in Russia for the transport of cannabis oil, and Whelan, a former Marine jailed on espionage charges he denies. The U.S. proposal reportedly includes swapping the two Americans for convicted Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout and would follow a similar prisoner exchange in April.

Lavrov suggested to Blinken that the two sides return to quiet diplomacy on the issue.

"Regarding the possible exchange of imprisoned Russian and U.S. citizens, the Russian side strongly suggested a return to the practice of handling this in a professional way and using 'quiet diplomacy' rather than throwing out speculative information," said the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the call lasted about 25 minutes and it was "without polemics and was businesslike."

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: File of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. /Xinhua)