Putin’s ‘holding a gun to Ukraine’s head’, says US

THE United States has warned that high-level talks with Russia beginning today will fail while Moscow holds a ‘gun to Ukraine’s head’.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia must choose between dialogue or ‘confrontation and massive consequences’. The talks begin as tens of thousands of Russian troops are massed at its border with Ukraine.

Mr Blinken warned that any positive outcome from the talks would rely on Russia’s willingness to stand down from its aggressive posture.