WASHINGTON, 03 February 2022, (TON): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to immediately de-escalate tensions and to withdraw troops from Ukraine’s borders in a call with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

The US State department said in a statement “Blinken emphasised that further invasion of Ukraine would be met with swift and severe consequences and urged Russia to pursue a diplomatic path.”

Lavrov said after the call that he had told Blinken that Russia would continue insisting on its demands, including that the West stick to its security obligations, and added that Blinken agreed that there is subject for further discussion.

The call came amid rising worries that Russia intends to attack Ukraine, and a US official said Lavrov gave “no indication” of any plans to de-escalate.

Blinken said “Washington and its European partners are willing to keep talking, but also underscored the US commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” and to Kiev’s right to determine its own alliances a reference to Russia’s demand for a pledge that Ukraine will not join Nato.

With tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, Tuesday saw another burst of top-level diplomacy to try to head off a major conflict in Europe.