Top US, Russian diplomats meet with Ukraine future on brink

21/1/2022 18:16

        The top diplomats of Russia and the United States are holding crucial talks on Friday as a weeks-long standoff over Ukraine teeters on the cusp of a pivotal and potentially violent phase, with rising concerns that Europe may again be beset by war.
        
        U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are meeting in Geneva, once a key Cold War crossroads, trying to avert a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine amid Moscow's demands for concessions from NATO over its relationship with the former Soviet republic.
        
        Blinken on Thursday played down any prospects of an immediate fix in the Geneva talks, which are set to run about two hours, saying resolving the difficult issues "won't happen quickly" – and emphasizing that he doesn't expect a resolution on Friday.