US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced concern over jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny and imprisoned Americans in a telephone call Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Blinken "reiterated President Biden's resolve to protect American citizens and act firmly in defense of US interests in response to actions by Russia that harm us or our allies," a State Department statement said. "This includes the release of Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed so that they are able to return home to their families in the United States," it said, adding that Blinken also raised the poisoning of Navalny last year. sct/st