RUSSIA RESPONDS TO US THREAT TO IMPOSE HIGHEST SANCTIONS IF IT INVADES UKRAINE

Russia has warned the United States it will respond if Ukraine is drawn into any US “geopolitical games”, while Washington has threatened “serious costs” for Moscow if the crisis escalates.

The response came during a meeting between the Russian and US foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Anthony Blinken in Sweden.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in a statement expressed concern about rising tensions across Europe and urged the Kremlin to de-escalate the crisis over Ukraine.