WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden’s top diplomat will visit Kyiv this week after talks with Russia ended in a stalemate last week amid concerns in Washington that Moscow is preparing to invade Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday.
Blinken then heads to Berlin for a meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to be followed by a meeting with the Transatlantic Quad, the department said in a statement, referring to a format that involves the United States, Britain, France and Germany.
Blinken will “discuss recent diplomatic engagements with Russia and joint efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including Allies’ and partners’ readiness to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia,” it said.
Biden has warned of severe economic consequences for Moscow if Russia, which has massed troops near Ukraine’s borders, invades its neighbour. Russia has denied any plans to attack.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Timothy Heritage)
