US foreign minister Anthony Blinken says there is still a diplomatic way to end the conflict with Russia over Ukraine.
Mr Blinken also said after meeting with the foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea that the risk of Russia’s military action in Ukraine is so high that it could lead to the expulsion of US embassy staff from Kiev.
The United States recently expelled unnecessary embassy staff from Ukraine and warned Americans not to travel to the country.
Mr Blinken said after his meeting in the US island of Hawaii: “This is a diplomatic path. It is easy for Moscow to show that it is following this path. This [conflict] should be reduced, not increased.”
Russia has long deployed more than 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine, and the West is concerned that it is preparing for an attack on Ukraine.
U.S. officials have warned that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time. But Moscow denies the allegations, calling the warning “alarming.”
President Biden spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart for about an hour yesterday. The White House says Mr Biden has warned Vladimir Putin that a strong response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would be “very difficult” and that any such move would cause great distress and isolate Moscow.
But neither side has said what progress has been made in the talks. Reuters news agency quoted a White House official as saying the conversation was professional but did not see any major change.
The Kremlin says Mr Putin has told President Biden that Washington has not taken Moscow’s concerns seriously and has not received a “significant response” to its security demands.
Moscow has recently demanded that NATO end its presence in the former Soviet Union and that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO.
NATO and the United States have rejected Russia’s request. Meanwhile, the United States and NATO have sent troops to Europe to bolster their allies.
