Blinken, Lavrov likely to meet next week

that the United States would continue to coordinate efforts with its allies and partners, as well as push for further engagements with Moscow via the NATO-Russia Council and the OSCE. Western countries continue to allege that Russia is preparing an attack against Ukraine, citing a troop buildup on the border. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday that Moscow was withdrawing some of its forces from the border with Ukraine. On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Russian President Vladimir Putin that some drills with Belarus had ended while others were going on as planned. The joint Russia-Belarus drills are expected to finish up on Sunday. Russia has consistently denied any plans to invade Ukraine, stressing that its own security is jeopardized by NATO’s increasing presence near Russian borders.