Leaders In Talks To Solve Ukraine Crisis

International efforts to defuse the stand-off over Ukraine have intensified, with French President Emmanuel Macron holding talks in Moscow and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington to coordinate policies as fears of a Russian invasion mounted.

The concentration of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fuelled Western worries that it heralds a possible invasion, with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warning on Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day”, triggering a conflict that would come at an enormous human cost.

Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbour, but is urging the US and its allies to bar Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations from joining Nato, halt weapons deployments there and roll back Nato forces from eastern Europe. Washington and Nato have rejected the demands.

Mr Macron called for de-escalation as he sat down for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.