Ukraine tensions: Biden-Putin talks yield no breakthrough

President Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin were still far apart after two hours of talks on the escalating crisis caused by Russia's massing of tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine.

Biden delivered a simple message during Tuesday's video call with Putin: invade Ukraine again and face painful sanctions that will do resounding harm to your economy.

Putin had his own blunt take, according to his foreign adviser Yuri Ushakov, telling the US president that the Russian troops are on their own territory, and they don't threaten anyone. With no immediate breakthrough to ease tensions on the Ukraine question, the US emphasised a need for diplomacy and de-escalation, while issuing stern threats to Russia about the high costs of a military incursion.