US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pushed back against the Albanese government’s calls for the prosecution of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to end talks in a rare flash of friction between the US and Australia.

Speaking following the annual AUSMIN diplomatic and defence talks in Brisbane on Saturday, Mr Blinken said while he understood Australian concerns over the length of time for the case to be resolved, US “sensitivities” about Mr Assange also had to be considered.