UNITED NATIONS: The top US and French diplomats will meet Thursday at the United Nations after days of cold shouldering by Paris which is livid over a cancelled submarine contract, a US official said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke together Wednesday on the margins of a meeting of the five permanent members of the Security Council, the official said.

US says Blinken expects to speak to France

"We do expect that they'll have some time together bilaterally tomorrow as well," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.